Dr. Giovanni Amelino-Camelia
University La Sapienza

Project Title

Falsifiable Quantum-Gravity Theories of Not Everything

Project Summary

By solving the "quantum-gravity problem," which is the problem of "reconciling" quantum mechanics with gravity (the last force still to be described in terms of classical mechanics), we would gain the ability to investigate several fascinating physical contexts, including the first instants of the evolution of the Universe. However the study of this problem confronts us with several challenges, including the possibility of a quantum picture of space-time and of a reformulation of quantum mechanics adapted to the relativistic structure of Einstein's description of gravity.

Over the last 20 years some approaches which attempt to provide a full solution to the quantum-gravity problem have made remarkable progress on the conceptual side, but are still unable to make contact with experiments. In this project I will attempt to bring to full maturity my more humble but hopefully less sterile alternative approach to the study of the quantum- gravity problem, which focuses on theories that appear to be good candidates for the description of only some features of the correct quantum gravity, but are sufficiently manageable that we should be able to test them experimentally.



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