Related papers: Gibbons-Hawking Entropy and BMN Strings
In this essay I describe some new results of a framework for composite gravity coupled to matter. These include the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula, modifications to the low-$\ell$ moments of the CMB power spectrum, and new perspectives…
It is generally accepted that the entropy of an asymptotically de Sitter universe is bounded by the area, in Planck units, of the de Sitter horizon. Based on an analysis of the entropy associated to the vacuum quantum fluctuations, we…
Most of the literature on general relativity over the last century assumes that the cosmological constant $\Lambda$ is zero. However, by now independent observations have led to a consensus that the dynamics of the universe is best…
This talk summarizes a new understanding of the cosmological constant problem, which essentially relies on a phase-space-like computation of the vacuum energy, both in the realm of quantum field theory coupled to gravity, and in the realm…
The stability of the cosmological event horizons found recently by Gregory [Phys. Rev. D54, 4955 (1996)] for a class of non-static global cosmic strings is studied. It is shown that they are not stable to both test particles and physical…
We revisit the Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase (BMN) conjecture relating M-theory on a PP-wave background and Matrix Quantum Mechanics (MQM) of $N\times N$ matrices. In particular, we study the BMN MQM at strong coupling and finite $N$ and…
Einstein's theory of general relativity, which contains a universal value of the Planck mass, has been so far successfully invoked to explain gravitational dynamics from sub-millimeter scales to the scale of the cosmological horizon.…
String theory counterparts to Einstein's gravity, cosmology and inflation are described. A very tight upper bound on the Cosmic Gravitational Radiation Background (CGRB) of standard inflation is shown to be evaded in string cosmology, while…
There is a class of higher derivative gravity theories that are in some sense natural extensions of cosmological Einstein's gravity with a unique maximally symmetric classical vacuum and only a massless spin-2 excitation about the vacuum…
Cosmic strings, a hot subject in the 1980's and early 1990's, lost its appeal when it was found that it leads to inconsistencies in the power spectrum of the measured cosmic microwave background temperature anisotropies. However,…
We report results on the construction of cosmological braneworld models in the context of the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, which include the leading correction to the Einstein-Hilbert action suggested by superstring theory. We obtain and…
The one-loop contribution to the entropy of a black hole from field modes near the horizon is computed in string theory. It is modular invariant and ultraviolet finite. There is an infrared divergence that signifies an instability near the…
We point out that quintessence with an exponential potential V_0 exp(- beta phi / 3^{1/2} M_p) can account for the present observed acceleration of the universe, without necessarily leading to eternal acceleration. This occurs for 2.4 <…
Brane inflation is a specific realization of the inflationary universe scenario in the early universe within the brane world framework in string theory. The naturalness and robustness of this realistic scenario is explained. Its predictions…
We search for a universal property of quantum gravity. By "universal", we mean the independence from any existing model of quantum gravity (such as the super string theory, loop quantum gravity, causal dynamical triangulation, and so on).…
The basic features of a quantum field theory which is Poincar\'e invariant, gauge invariant, finite and unitary to all orders of perturbation theory are reviewed. Quantum gravity is finite and unitary to all orders of perturbation theory.…
We use the recently discovered universality of Einstein equations in the first order formalism to suggest a positive definite Euclidean action. Possible implications for quantum gravity are considered. We discuss the Hawking and Coleman…
String theory axions appear to be promising candidates for explaining cosmological constant via quintessence. In this paper, we study conditions on the string compactifications under which axion quintessence can happen. For sufficiently…
A review of recent progress in string theory concerning the Bekenstein formula for black hole entropy is given. Topics discussed include p-branes, D-branes and supersymmetry; the correspondence principle; the D- and M-brane approach to…
In theories of gravity with a positive cosmological constant, we consider product solutions with flux, of the form (A)dS_p x S^q. Most solutions are shown to be perturbatively unstable, including all uncharged dS_p x S^q spacetimes. For…