One hundred years ago, Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger introduced his famous equation, now known as Schrödinger’s Equation.
This groundbreaking formula describes how particles behave in the strange world of quantum mechanics.
Schrödinger’s work laid the foundation for understanding how tiny particles move and interact over time.
Today, physicists continue to explore the mysteries of quantum mechanics, trying to connect it with another fundamental theory: Einstein’s general relativity.
Quantum mechanics is used to understand the behavior of particles at incredibly small scales, like atoms and electrons.
In contrast, general relativity describes how massive objects, such as stars and planets, are influenced by gravity. Both theories are incredibly successful in their own areas, but they don’t quite fit together.
Scientists have spent decades trying to bridge this gap and create a unified theory—something they call “quantum gravity.”
Abhay Katyal, a doctoral student at Utah State University (USU), and his mentor, Associate Professor Oscar Varela, are taking steps toward solving this mystery.
Along with former USU postdoctoral researcher Ritabrata Bhattacharya, they are focusing on a concept known as the holographic principle. Their findings were recently published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters.
The holographic principle is an idea that suggests the entire universe might be like a three-dimensional hologram.
This means that everything we see and experience in three dimensions could actually be described by information encoded on a two-dimensional surface. It’s a bit like how a hologram on a credit card creates the illusion of three dimensions from a flat surface.
Varela explained that testing theories of quantum gravity is incredibly hard because we don’t have the technology to observe things at the tiny scales or high energies where these effects would be noticeable.
So, theoretical physicists like him and Katyal use complex mathematical models instead. These models are their tools for making predictions, much like how experimental physicists use laboratory equipment.
In their study, the team developed a new test for the holographic principle using advanced mathematics.
They believe that if the holographic principle holds true, it could be a major step toward discovering how quantum mechanics and general relativity fit together. “The holographic principle is our model to make predictions about quantum gravity,” Varela said.
While we are still far from fully understanding quantum gravity, the work done by Varela, Katyal, and their team is pushing the boundaries of what we know.
Their research is a glimpse into what might one day be a grand unified theory of physics, connecting the mysteries of the tiny quantum world with the vastness of space and time.
