For nearly a century, physicists have been pushing back the frontiers of General Relativity (Einstein’s theory of space, time, and gravity) and quantum mechanics (our theory of matter and fields). Each theory has revolutionized our understanding of nature, but at a deep level, they appear to be incompatible. To find a theory that goes beyond both, and reconciles the two, is perhaps the deepest question in all of science. Finally, after many decades, experiment and observation (both laboratory-based and cosmological) are reaching a point where they may test and explore the consequences of such theories – and perhaps discover a world beyond any of them. The techniques being developed for this are carving out the path towards future quantum technologies.
This conference, sponsored by the Quantum Gravity Society, will focus on this exciting frontier. It will be a mixture of TED-style public lectures and debates, along with extended scientific sessions, and will bring together many of the key themes in this field, including:
- High-energy theoretical approaches (string theory, loop gravity, etc), involving a breakdown of General Relativity in black holes or the early universe
- Low-energy theoretical approaches (involving a breakdown of quantum mechanics for macroscopic objects)
- Fundamental work exploring macroscopic quantum phenomena (theory and experiment), and the possible breakdown of quantum mechanics.
- Fundamental work in cosmology (theory and observation)
- Fundamental work on gravitational waves (theory and experiment)
The conference will be held at the Westin Bayshore hotel on the waterfront in Vancouver.
Background material will include:
- Background reading
- Video presentations
- Public lectures and debates
- Scientific sessions