Is quantum gravity still an immensely popular field?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the current state of research in quantum gravity, exploring the volume of ongoing work, the proximity to a potential solution, and the criteria that might define such a solution. The scope includes theoretical considerations and the challenges faced in the field.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the volume of research being published in quantum gravity and whether the field is closer to a solution than in previous years.
  • Another participant asserts that there is still a significant amount of research being published but suggests that progress towards a solution may not have advanced much.
  • A later reply humorously suggests that a solution might involve predicting the value 42 from first principles.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of solving quantum gravity to address gaps in our understanding of nature, particularly in strong gravitational fields, but notes that conventional approaches like string theory and loop quantum gravity have not significantly progressed towards a solution.
  • This participant also mentions the challenges posed by the formal procedures for quantizing fields, which seem ineffective for gravity compared to their success in quantum electrodynamics (QED).

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the progress in quantum gravity research, with some indicating ongoing activity while others suggest stagnation. The criteria for what constitutes a solution remain undefined and are subject to personal interpretation.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the definitions of a "solution" in quantum gravity and the effectiveness of existing quantization methods for gravity compared to other fields.

MacMac
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I was just wondering how much work is being done in the field of quantum gravity nowdays. Is there still a huge volume of research published on the topic? Are we closer to a "solution" nowdays than we were a few years ago? And also, what exactly would constitute a solution to such problem?
 
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MacMac said:
1. Is there still a huge volume of research published on the topic?
2. Are we closer to a "solution" nowdays than we were a few years ago?
3. And also, what exactly would constitute a solution to such problem?
1. Yes.
2. Probably not much.
3. Like many other things in real life, it's hard to define in advance, but when we see it we will recognize it.
 
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Demystifier said:
when we see it we will recognize it.
Maybe it will predict the value 42 from first principles.
 
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Hell yes. It is a major problem that has to be solved, otherwise there are gaps in our model of Nature where quantum effects play a role when strong gravitational fields are present. Honestly though, with conventional approaches to quantum gravity like string theory and loop quantum gravity we aren't really much closer to a solution. Part of the problem is that there is a very formal procedure for quantizing fields I think due to Dirac that just doesn't seem to work with gravity although it works with QED when you make use of renormalization, but how to get around that isn't clear.
 

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