January 2024
Quantum mechanics describes the behavior of particles at the subatomic level, the microcosm. It is a world of probabilities and superpositions. In general relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, gravity arises from the curvature of spacetime caused by massive objects, such as stars and planets (the macrocosm).
The prevailing assumption in physics is that Einstein’s classical theory of gravity must be modified to fit within the framework of quantum theory. Thus, the two are incompatible.
However, in two parallel papers, professor of quantum theory Jonathan Oppenheim at University College London challenges this assumption. He and his team reconcile Einstein’s theory with the quantum world.
“We present an alternative approach by constructing a consistent theory of classical gravity coupled to quantum field theory”, Oppenheim writes.
Within the new theory, the measurement postulate – a linchpin in quantum mechanics – is not needed.
It is “a novel perspective that suggests spacetime may remain classical and unaffected by quantum mechanics”, according to an article in The Brighter Side of News, which summarises the groundbreaking theory.
Anders Bolling
