Related papers: The Minimal Length and Large Extra Dimensions
The observable universe could be a 1+3-surface (the "brane") embedded in a 1+3+d-dimensional spacetime (the "bulk"), with standard-model particles and fields trapped on the brane while gravity is free to access the bulk. At least one of the…
If nature realizes $TeV$ scale gravity, we are entering a very exciting period in which we could be able to address, experimentally, some questions on quantum gravity, strings, branes and other exotic aspects of the fundamental theory of…
In this paper we abandon the idea that even a "quantum" black hole, of Planck size, can still be described as a classical, more or less complicated, geometry. Rather, we consider a genuine quantum mechanical approach where a Planckian black…
The Black Hole Uncertainty Principle correspondence suggests that there could exist black holes with mass beneath the Planck scale but radius of order the Compton scale rather than Schwarzschild scale. We present a modified, self-dual…
In our recently proposed quantum theory of gravity, the universe is made of `atoms' of space-time-matter (STM). Planck scale foam is composed of STM atoms with Planck length as their associated Compton wave-length. The quantum dispersion…
It is possible that the scale of gravity, parameterized by the apparent Planck mass, may obtain different values within different universes in an encompassing multiverse. We investigate the range over which the Planck mass may scan while…
In the recent quantum-gravity literature there has been strong interest in the possibility of Planck-scale departures from Lorentz symmetry, including possible modifications of the energy/momentum dispersion relation. I stress that a…
In most current models of inflation based on a weakly self-coupled scalar matter field minimally coupled to gravity, the period of inflation lasts so long that, at the beginning of the inflationary period, the physical wavelengths of…
One of the main challenges in physics today is to merge quantum theory and the theory of general relativity into a unified framework. Various approaches towards developing such a theory of quantum gravity are pursued, but the lack of…
We propose a new higher-dimensional mechanism for solving the Hierarchy Problem. The Weak scale is generated from a large scale of order the Planck scale through an exponential hierarchy. However, this exponential arises not from gauge…
This paper discusses the origin of the small parameters with the aim of explaining the Hierarchy problem. The flexible extra dimensions are an essential tool in the process by which physical parameters are formed. The evolution of a…
If the inflationary phase lasted longer than the minimal period, the length scales observed today originate from modes that were smaller than the Planck length during inflation. It was recently argued that this "trans-Planckian problem" can…
In scenarios with large extra dimensions (LEDs), the fundamental Planck scale can be low enough that collisions between high-energy particles may produce microscopic black holes. High-energy cosmic neutrinos can carry energies much larger…
The Planck constant ($\hbar$) plays a pivotal role in quantum physics. Historically, it has been proposed as postulate, part of a genius empirical relationship $E=\hbar \omega$ in order to explain the intensity spectrum of the blackbody…
We observe that the existence of black holes limits the extent to which M Theory (or indeed any quantum theory of gravity) can be described by conventional quantum mechanics. Although there is no contradiction with the fundamental…
Traditional derivations of the Planck mass ignore the role of charge and spin in general relativity. From the Kerr-Newman null surface and horizon radii, quantized charge and spin dependence are introduced in an extended Planck scale of…
Over the past few years, evidence has begun to accumulate suggesting that spacetime may undergo a "spontaneous dimensional reduction" to two dimensions near the Planck scale. I review some of this evidence, and discuss the (still very…
A satisfactory theory of quantum gravity may necessitate a drastic modification of our perception of space-time, by giving it a foamy structure at distances comparable to the Planck length. It is argued in this essay that the experimental…
Consistency of quantum mechanics in black hole physics requires unusual Lorentz transformation properties of the size and shape of physical systems with momentum beyond the Planck scale. A simple parton model illustrates the kind of…
Recently, a new framework for solving the hierarchy problem has been proposed which does not rely on low energy supersymmetry or technicolor. The gravitational and gauge interactions unite at the electroweak scale, and the observed weakness…