Published 2026 – Introducing the second paper of The Fifth Element’s discussion paper series: The unitive science of a living universe.
Exploring an emerging scientific perspective that challenges the idea of a universe made of separate parts, in this discussion paper, cosmologist and author Jude Currivan brings together insights from physics, cosmology and systems thinking suggesting that reality may be fundamentally relational and informational.
From quantum interconnectedness to repeating patterns across nature, growing evidence points toward a deeply interconnected cosmos. The paper also explores how the universe evolves through increasing complexity, from stars and planets to life and ecosystems.
Rather than presenting final answers, it invites dialogue on how this perspective might reshape how we understand science, society and our place within a living universe.
Here are the key findings:
- The same patterns shape everything — from atoms to the universeFrom clusters of atoms to the faint radiation left from the early universe, the same patterns appear again and again. These patterns suggest that reality is built on relationships — how things connect and interact — rather than on separate objects.The paper suggests that matter may be better understood as organised information: patterns that take physical form.
- Nature and human systems follow similar patternsSimilar patterns appear across many systems. Scientists call some fractal patterns, structures that repeat across scales, like trees, rivers or blood vessels. Many systems also follow power laws. Earthquakes, conflicts, cities, ecosystems and even the internet show similar patterns in how events and networks grow.
- The universe is deeply connectedRelativity shows that nothing travels faster than light, preserving cause and effect across the universe. At the same time, quantum physics shows particles can remain connected across vast distances through quantum entanglement.
Together, these discoveries suggest the universe behaves as a deeply interconnected whole.
Author: Jude Currivan
