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Dangerous implications of a minimum length in quantum gravity

High Energy Physics - Theory 2008-11-26 v3 Astrophysics General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

The existence of a minimum length and a generalization of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle seem to be two fundamental ingredients required in any consistent theory of quantum gravity. In this letter we show that they would predict dangerous processes which are phenomenologically unacceptable. For example, long--lived virtual super--Planck mass black holes may lead to rapid proton decay. Possible solutions of this puzzle are briefly discussed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0803.0749,
  title  = {Dangerous implications of a minimum length in quantum gravity},
  author = {Cosimo Bambi and Katherine Freese},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0803.0749},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

5 pages, no figure. v3: refereed version

R2 v1 2026-06-21T10:18:47.472Z