Is The Universe a Computer Simulation?

Is the universe a giant computer simulation? Could we possibly find out if it were?

Some theorists believe it may be soon possible to detect if the universe were a computer simulation. The reasoning goes as follows:
1) Using supercomputers, we can apply the laws of quantum chromodynamics to simulate a small scale region of space a few femtometers across (10^-15 meters). One could hypothesize that a much more powerful computer could simulate a whole universe of space.
2) A computer simulation would have to transform the continuous laws of physics onto a 3-dimensional lattice separated into discrete chunks. This discrete nature of a simulation should manifest in limits in certain properties - for example, there would be a cutoff in the spectrum of high energy particles.
3) Further consequences of this simulation would result in cosmic rays travelling preferentially along the axes of the lattice. This preference would be something we could theoretically measure.

An article describing the idea is found on technologyreview.com:
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/429561/the-measurement-that-would-reveal-the-universe-as/

Personally, I don't buy the article's metaphysical connotations. Scientifically, such a measurement as described would only indicate a directional preference of certain cosmic rays, perhaps revealing a physical phenomenon we don't yet understand. Extrapolating as far as to say that such data provides evidence for the universe as a simulation is a leap of faith, to say the least. Who's to say that an alien civilization's numerical simulation techniques would be the same as ours?

(Meta)physics aside, the article's an interesting read, at least. The idea that the universe could be a simulation is fascinating in itself, although the scientific consequences are (in my opinion) irrelevant.