A First Principles Derivation of E= mc2 from Causal Geometry and Planck-Scale Dynamics

This paper presents a mechanistic explanation for why the constant c^2 appears in the iconic mass–energy equivalence equation E = mc^2. Building on the Computed Universe (CU) model, it interprets c^2 not merely as a dimensional conversion factor, but as a direct manifestation of surface-area-based causal update propagation at the speed of light. The analysis begins by deriving the energy equation from first principles using Planck units, the causal geometry of spacetime, and the finite compute budget available within a voxelated substrate. The work shows how mass is sustained by a continuous stream of causal updates, with propagation constrained to surface boundaries expanding at velocity c. This yields a natural scaling law in which the energy content of a mass emerges from the product of its information density and the surface-area scaling factor c^2. The derivation integrates concepts from general relativity, quantum theory, and computational physics, providing a unified explanation consistent with conservation of information and the CU model’s broader framework. Implications for gravitational physics, relativistic mass, and cosmological scaling are discussed, along with potential avenues for empirical validation.