Physicists have taken a significant step towards creating a long-sought “theory of everything” by uniting gravity with the quantum world. A new paper published in Reports on Progress in Physics outlines a novel approach to solving one of the most persistent problems in theoretical physics: merging gravity with quantum mechanics.
The new theory reinterprets the gravitational field, mirroring the structure of known quantum field theories. Instead of curving space-time, gravity is mediated by four interrelated fields, similar to those that govern electromagnetism. These fields respond to mass and interact with each other in a way that reproduces general relativity at the classical level while incorporating quantum effects.
The approach sidesteps mathematical problems associated with quantizing general relativity, producing a well-defined quantum theory without unphysical infinities or negative probabilities. A key advantage of this model is its simplicity, sticking to familiar terrain without requiring extra dimensions or additional forces.
This breakthrough has potential to be tested experimentally, with future experiments potentially confirming or ruling out the new proposal. Although the framework is still in its early stages and faces challenges such as verifying quantum gravity effects, it offers a fresh direction for theorists searching for a quantum theory of gravity.
Source: https://www.space.com/astronomy/new-theory-could-finally-make-quantum-gravity-a-reality-and-prove-einstein-wrong