A new algorithm claims to solve the world's hardest math problems by betting on the existence of parallel universes.
April 1, 2026
Original Paper
Quantum Suicide in Many-Worlds Implies P=NP
arXiv · 2603.28869
The Takeaway
Based on the 'Quantum Suicide' thought experiment, the author argues that in a many-worlds reality, there is always one version of an observer that survives. By tying the fate of the experiment to the computer finding a correct answer, the algorithm 'forces' the surviving version of the user to witness the solution instantly.
From the abstract
In this paper we propose a totally serious algorithm to solve NP problems in polynomial time provided one is willing to wager the fate of all observers in the universe on the many-world interpretation of quantum theory being correct.