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Researchers at Aalto University propose a new quantum theory of gravity that could unify the fundamental forces of nature and help explain phenomena such as black holes and the Big Bang.
A new theoretical proposal could change how we understand the Universe. Researchers at Aalto University, and on Finland, announced the development of a quantum theory of gravity compatible with the Standard Model of particle physics.
The proposal, published in the Reports on Progress in Physics, seeks to unify concepts that until now were considered incompatible.
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One of the main challenges is to create a theory that unites quantum field theory, which describes the world of subatomic particles, with general relativity, which explains gravity and celestial bodies.
The new proposal attempts to resolve this issue.
According to Dr. Mikko Partanen, one of the authors of the study, if the theory evolves into a complete quantum field formulation of gravity, it could, in the future, offer answers to complex problems such as the singularities present in black holes and the Big Bang.
This unifying theory is known among scientists as the “Theory of Everything".
It could explain phenomena that are still poorly understood, such as why there is more matter than antimatter in the observable Universe.
Gravity as a gauge theory
The researchers' starting point was to reinterpret gravity as a gauge field, a theoretical framework where forces are described by fields that mediate interactions between particles.
"The best known measurement field is the electromagnetic field”, stated Dr. Jukka Tulkki. “When electrically charged particles interact, they do so through the electromagnetic field.. "
Following this logic, particles with energy should interact through the gravitational field.
The researchers' idea was to build a gauge theory with symmetries similar to those of the Standard Model, instead of following the traditional approach based on the space-time symmetry of general relativity.
Incompatibilities have persisted for decades
The Standard Model successfully describes three of the four fundamental forces of nature: electromagnetic, weak nuclear and strong nuclear. However, it does not include gravity.
General relativity, proposed by Einstein, is a classical theory.
It works very well for describing massive bodies and gravitational effects on larger scales, but it cannot handle the quantum world.
"Without this theory, physicists cannot reconcile our two most powerful theories.”, Partanen highlighted.
Both have already been confirmed through experiments with a very high level of precision, but they remain incompatible with each other.
Challenges in renormalization
The proposal by scientists at Aalto University uses a mathematical procedure called renormalization. This process is used to eliminate infinities that arise in quantum theory calculations.
"So far we have shown that this works for so-called first-order terms.,” Tulkki said. But he warns that this vetting needs to be extended. “If renormalization doesn't work for higher order terms, you will get infinite results."
Therefore, the next step of the research will be to demonstrate that the method is valid for all levels of calculation.”We still need to do a full test, but we believe it is very likely that we will succeed.”, declared the researcher.
The interest of research
Interest in quantum gravity goes beyond the theoretical field.
Understanding how it works can reveal what happens in the extreme conditions of the Universe, such as near black holes or in the initial moments of the Big Bang.
"These are the conditions where existing theories in physics stop working.”, explained Partanen. For him, the work has great potential. “In the same way that understanding gravity paved the way for the creation of GPS, this theory could open up new horizons."
Caution and continuity
Despite their enthusiasm, the authors themselves emphasize that the work is still in progress. The proposed theory needs to be tested and validated by other scientists.
"Always fascinated by the big questions in physics, we discovered a new symmetry-based approach to the theory of gravity”, Partanen said. “There are still challenges ahead, but with time and effort, we hope to overcome them."
For now, the scientific community is following closely.”I can't say when, but I can say that we will know a lot more about this in a few years.”, concluded the physicist.
