Current theoretical physics posits that spacetime is likely an emergent phenomenon rather than a fundamental background, arising from deeper quantum substrates or informational structures.

Entanglement and Holography The "It from Qubit" framework suggests that spacetime geometry is directly stitched together by quantum entanglement. In the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence, the Ryu-Takayanagi formula relates the entanglement entropy of a boundary field theory to the area of a minimal surface in the bulk spacetime. Research indicates that if the entanglement between spatial regions drops to zero, the geometric connection between them dissolves. Furthermore, the Einstein field equations—describing gravity—can be derived directly from the thermodynamics of this entanglement.

The Amplituhedron In particle physics, the "amplituhedron" is a geometric object residing in an abstract mathematical space (the positive Grassmannian) that simplifies scattering amplitude calculations. By calculating the volume of this object, physicists can determine interaction probabilities without reference to spacetime, locality, or unitarity. This suggests that spacetime and quantum mechanical properties are not fundamental axioms but derived features emerging from this underlying positive geometry.

Discrete and Dynamical Models Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) describes space as a network of finite loops (spin networks), where geometry is quantized at the Planck scale. Similarly, Causal Dynamical Triangulation (CDT) models spacetime as a fabric of discrete triangular building blocks that evolve to approximate a smooth 4-dimensional manifold at large scales.

Emergence via Phase Transition A 2025 framework, the "Principle of Spatial Energy Potentiality," proposes that the universe began as a high-energy, purely spatial 3D configuration without time. In this model, the Big Bang is reinterpreted as a quantum-induced phase transition where a time dimension emerges, effectively converting a timeless 3D state into 4D spacetime. This framework aims to resolve the Hubble tension and singularities by positing that temporal dynamics are not present at the highest energy scales.

Theoretical Limits and Observables Conversely, some researchers argue that a complete, algorithmic derivation of spacetime is impossible. Applying Gödel’s incompleteness theorems and Chaitin’s results to quantum gravity suggests that no computational theory of everything can be both consistent and complete, necessitating a non-algorithmic meta-theoretical framework. Observational efforts now focus on detecting "quantum corrections" to general relativity in the weak-field limit around stars, which could distinguish matter-supported geometries from vacuum black hole solutions