## Overview - **Concept**: Loop Quantum Gravity - **Key Figures**: [[👤 Lee Smolin]], [[👤 Carlo Rovelli]] - **Field of Research**: #quantum_physics #gravity #relativity ## Summary Loop Quantum Gravity (`LQG`) is a theoretical framework in physics that aims to provide a quantum mechanical description of the gravitational force and space-time itself. Loop Quantum Gravity is one of the leading candidates for a theory of quantum gravity, which seeks to reconcile the principles of quantum mechanics with Einstein's theory of general relativity. It was developed in the early 21st century by a group of physicists, including [[👤 Lee Smolin]], [[👤 Carlo Rovelli]], and others. - **Discretization of Space-Time**: One of the key features of `LQG` is the discretization of space and time. Space-time is envisioned as being granular or composed of tiny, discrete units. This is in contrast to the smooth, continuous space-time of general relativity. - **Quantization of Geometry**: `LQG` quantizes geometry itself, meaning it describes the fabric of space-time in discrete, quantized chunks. This allows LQG to address the fundamental questions of what happens at the smallest scales, such as the Planck length. - **Black Holes and Singularities**: `LQG` has been successful in addressing some of the issues related to singularities, like those believed to exist at the centers of black holes. It provides an alternative description of black hole interiors that avoids the information loss paradox. - **Challenges and Ongoing Research**: `LQG` is still a developing theory, and it faces challenges, such as incorporating matter fields and making predictions that can be tested through experiments or observations. It also strives to harmonize with the Standard Model of particle physics. - **Unification of Forces**: Some proponents of `LQG` hope that it can serve as a path to unify the fundamental forces of nature, particularly by integrating gravity with the other forces described by the Standard Model. ## References - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_quantum_gravity