00:06 Introduction
01:11 How do we describe the quantum world?
03:15 What is gravity?
04:29 What is quantum gravity?
12:12 Why we care about quantum gravity
14:13 Experiments to observe effects of quantum gravity
21:45 Quantum precision measurement at Caltech
24:35 How experimental and theoretical physicists work together to measure the effects quantum gravity
32:48 Audience Q&A
46:30 Outro
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Professor of Theoretical Physics Kathryn Zurek and Professor of Physics Rana Adhikari talk about one of the biggest mysteries in physics today: quantum gravity.
Quantum gravity refers to a set of theories attempting to unify the microscopic world of quantum physics with the macroscopic world of gravity and space itself. Zurek, a theorist, and Adhikari, an experimentalist, have teamed up with others to design a new table-top-size experiment with the potential to detect signatures of quantum gravity.
In conversation with Caltech science writer Whitney Clavin, the scientists explain that at the microscopic, or quantum, level, matter and energy are made up of discrete components; in other words, quantized. Many scientists believe that gravity is also quantized: If you magnify space itself enough, you should see discrete components. In this webinar, Zurek and Adhikari discuss why measuring quantum gravity is so difficult and how they plan to go about searching for its elusive signatures.
This event is part of Conversations on the Quantum World, a webinar series hosted by the Caltech Science Exchange. Caltech science writers interview Caltech experts about the next quantum revolution answer viewer questions: scienceexchange.caltech.edu/c...
Learn more about quantum science and technology on the Caltech Science Exchange: scienceexchange.caltech.edu/t...