That's according to Melvin Vopson, an associate professor in physics at the University of Portsmouth.
Our lives contains several clues that suggest we're merely characters in an advanced virtual world, he claims – and he's planning an experiment to prove it.
For example, the fact there's limits to how fast light and sound can travel suggest they may be governed by the speed of a computer processor, according to the expert.
The laws of physics that govern the universe are also akin to computer code, he says, while elementary particles that make up matter are like pixels.
One of the most convincing clues, however, is the symmetry that we observe in the everyday world, from butterflies to flowers, snowflakes and starfish.
Symmetry is everywhere because it's how the machines 'render the digitally constructed world', Professor Vopson told MailOnline.
'This abundance of symmetry (rather than asymmetry) in the universe is something that has never been explained,' he said.
'When we build or design things we have to use the most symmetric shapes to simplify the process.
'Just imagine building a house from bricks that are not the standard shape of a brick.
'If the bricks were in a totally irregular shape, the construction would be almost impossible or much more complicated.
'The same is when we design computer programs or virtual realities – and this maximizes efficiency and minimizes energy consumption or computational power.' ...<<<Read More>>>....
