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It is commonly anticipated that gravity is subjected to the standard principles of quantum mechanics. Yet some — including Einstein — have questioned that presumption, whose empirical basis is weak. Indeed, recently Dyson has emphasized that no conventional experiment is

It is commonly anticipated that gravity is subjected to the standard principles of quantum mechanics. Yet some — including Einstein — have questioned that presumption, whose empirical basis is weak. Indeed, recently Dyson has emphasized that no conventional experiment is capable of detecting individual gravitons. However, as we describe, if inflation occurred, the universe, by acting as an ideal graviton amplifier, affords such access. It produces a classical signal, in the form of macroscopic gravitational waves, in response to spontaneous (not induced) emission of gravitons. Thus recent BICEP2 observations of polarization in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) will, if confirmed, provide firm empirical evidence for the quantization of gravity. Their details also support quantitative ideas concerning the unification of strong, electromagnetic and weak forces, and of all these with gravity.

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Title
  • From B-Modes to Quantum Gravity and Unification of Forces
Contributors
Date Created
2014-10-01
Resource Type
  • Text
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    Identifier
    • Digital object identifier: 10.1142/S0218271814410016
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      0218-2718
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      1793-6594
    Note
    • Electronic version of an article published in INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN PHYSICS D, 23, 12, 2014. 10.1142/S0218271814410016 Copyright World Scientific Publishing Company http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0218271814410016

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    This is a suggested citation. Consult the appropriate style guide for specific citation guidelines.

    Krauss, Lawrence M., & Wilczek, Frank (2014). From B-modes to quantum gravity and unification of forces. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN PHYSICS D, 23(12). http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0218271814410016

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