Tom Rudelius (Durham): Quantum Gravity to Cosmological Inflation: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Experiment
→
Europe/London
OC218
OC218
Description
Abstract: String theory is the best candidate for a theory of quantum gravity, but it is infamously difficult to test experimentally. In this talk, we will discuss recent progress in bridging the gap between string theory and the real world, showing how a simple, well-supported statement inspired by string theory called the Weak Gravity Conjecture places strong constraints on certain models of cosmological inflation. This example is part of the larger "swampland program," which in recent years has led to important new insights into quantum gravity, cosmology, particle physics, quantum field theory, pure mathematics, and the relationships between them.
