| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/W005530/1 |
| Title: |
Quantum Emergence of an expanding universe |
| Principal Investigator: |
Galante, Dr D |
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| Department: |
Mathematics |
| Organisation: |
Kings College London |
| Scheme: |
EPSRC Fellowship |
| Starts: |
01 April 2022 |
Ends: |
31 March 2026 |
Value (£): |
439,496
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
Inspired by the laws of black holes, theoretical physicists developed the idea that macroscopic spacetime emerges from a microscopic quantum theory. This is analogous to how water fluid emerges from the complex interactions between millions of water molecules. But, what are the constituents from which spacetime itself emerges?
My research programme intends to find and characterise the microscopic quantum theory from which spacetimes like our own universe emerge. Astrophysicists observed that our universe is currently expanding at an accelerated rate. Galaxies are getting further away from each other. Given that the speed of light is only finite, there are regions of spacetime that will never get in causal contact with an observer, like us. As a consequence, every observer in this expanding universe is surrounded by a cosmological event horizon.
Black hole event horizons have played a crucial role in understanding the emergence of spacetime. Cosmological event horizons share some features with their black hole counterparts, so it is expected they might play a similar role. But they are also different in nature. In the first part of this project, I will find distinctive macroscopic features of cosmological event horizons. In the second part, I will connect these to microscopic properties of the quantum theory. Very basic aspects of this theory still remain unknown so progress along these lines would, for the first time, provide a microscopic description of a type of universe that resembles ours and consequently, a new theoretical way of approaching long-standing problems in physics such as dark energy and dark matter. Finally, a third part of the project will consist of simulating microscopic theories numerically as quantum many-body systems.
In parallel, I will run a series of public events that will combine art, conversations with prestigious scientists and digital engagement with the objective of inspiring younger generations and underrepresented minorities to work in science and conveying the idea that, contrary to the common lore, theoretical physicists do not study very strange things but instead, try to answer simple questions that everyone might have reflected on. Because who can say that never thought about: what is the nature of space and time? Where do we live? And, what are we made of?
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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