Joint cosmology seminar at MIT:

Tuesday, March 12, 2019, 2:30 pm
Cosman Seminar Room
Center for Theoretical Physics
Building 6C, Room 6C-442
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Refreshments at 2:00 in the same room

De-conjecturing de Sitter

Frederik Denef
Columbia

Abstract:

I will begin by reviewing some of the challenges one encounters when trying to make sense of quantum gravity in the presence of a positive vacuum energy density. In particular string theory in its present form appears inadequate to settle even basic existence questions. To resolve these issues, a more fundamental, presumably holographic, quantitatively precise framework will likely be needed. I will end by discussing some recent progress in this direction.