April 03: Djordje Minic (Virginia Tech)

Time: 2pm
Location: 2N36
 
Title: Modular spacetime and Metastring theory
 
Abstract: In this talk we review our recent work on metastring theory and its habitat, a new form of quantum spacetime, called modular spacetime. We emphasize that the geometry underlying modular spacetime, i.e. the background geometry of metastring theory, is also the geometry underlying generic representations of quantum theory as formulated in terms of Aharonov's modular variables. Thus the metastring sheds light on the foundations of quantum theory, and it represents a new formulation of string theory and quantum gravity based on the principle of relative locality. (This work is done in collaboration with Laurent Freidel (Perimeter Institute) and Rob Leigh (Urbana).)