From B-modes to quantum gravity and unification of forces

Lawrence M. Krauss, Frank Wilczek

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    It is commonly anticipated that gravity is subjected to the standard principles of quantum mechanics. Yet some - including Einstein - have questioned that presumption, whose empirical basis is weak. Indeed, recently Dyson has emphasized that no conventional experiment is capable of detecting individual gravitons. However, as we describe, if inflation occurred, the universe, by acting as an ideal graviton amplifier, affords such access. It produces a classical signal, in the form of macroscopic gravitational waves, in response to spontaneous (not induced) emission of gravitons. Thus recent BICEP2 observations of polarization in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) will, if confirmed, provide firm empirical evidence for the quantization of gravity. Their details also support quantitative ideas concerning the unification of strong, electromagnetic and weak forces, and of all these with gravity.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number1441001
    JournalInternational Journal of Modern Physics D
    Volume23
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 16 Oct 2014

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