Lost in space? A brief guide to the ‘holographic principle’ of the universe

Scientists believe a mathematical model could explain the origins of the cosmos. Here's what you need to know "

The universe is a "vast and complex" hologram, according to scientists from the University of Southampton and colleagues in Canada and Italy. But fear not. It does not mean that we are all figments of an alien overlord's dabbling with a mega-Imax projection system.

A hologram is a flat (two-dimensional) surface that, when viewed, appears to have a third dimension - in other words, it gives the illusion of having depth. The holographic principle suggests that the contents of the universe originate as mathematics encoded on a boundary surrounding the entire cosmos. If you're struggling to picture that, just relax, because the scientists can't quite envisage it either. They just know it works mathematically.