Researchers in the quantum gravity group are exploring the fundamental quantum structure of spacetime and its interplay with matter. We are developing and testing a theoretical hypothesis, namely that the fundamental quantum structure of our universe is determined by a powerful symmetry principle, scale symmetry. We are testing this hypothesis by deriving its consequences for particle physics in and beyond the Standard Model and for black hole physics.
Recent highlights include the discovery that the interplay of quantum gravity with matter constrains models of dark matter; and that quantum gravity could make black holes "light up" in a way that will be testable by the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope. In this way, research in the quantum gravity group bridges the gap from the most microscopic scales to large scales in astrophysics and particle physics.