In this talk I provide an executive summary of some of the recent progress that has been made in understanding some key features of quantum gravitational theories. This is rooted in lessons learned from the landscape of consistent solutions to string theory and captured by the principles of the Swampland program. A key feature of this is the lack of decoupling between short and long distance descriptions of the theory leading to a radical revision of the notion of consistency of effective field theories. This opens up a new window into unresolved fine tuning problems for particle physics and cosmology. I will further explain how these ideas lead to concrete experimentally verifiable predictions for our universe.
The Colloquium Ehrenfestii takes place Wednesday evenings starting at 19:30 hours in the main auditorium of the Oort building. Before the Colloquium, there is a common dinner in the canteen located on the ground floor of the Oort building. This dinner starts at 18:00 hours sharp and is free of charge, under the condition that one attends the colloquium and that one has made a reservation before noon on the Tuesday preceding the colloquium.
We count on your presence if you register, please do show up. Meal registrations may close earlier, when 80 persons have signed up.
Colloquium Ehrenfestii Program 2024
10 Jan
Jay Fineberg (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Friction, Earthquakes and Everything in Between
21 Feb
Sera Markoff (Anton Pannekoek Inst., University of Amsterdam)
A tale of two black holes: Sgr A* and M87*
10 Apr
Christopher Fuchs (University of Boston)
Repainting Quantum Mechanics on QBist Canvas
08 May
Cumrun Vafa (Harvard University)
Quantum Gravity and Predictions for our Universe
29 May
William Bialek (Princeton University)
Physics for maggots
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