Speaker
Description
Any quantum degree of freedom that has a simple overlap
with
an elementary
degree of freedom has the chance to probe the nature of
spacetime at the
fundamental level - simply by means of its inherent quantum
fluctuations.
Chiral fermions are a good candidate for such degrees of
freedom. Chiral
symmetry is in fact a sensitive probe for interactions on
all scales: chiral
symmetry breaking can be triggered by comparatively weak
interactions as well
as by specific large-scale structures. The fact that chiral
fermions can be
observed in nature hence also represents a probe of
spacetime properties. In
this talk, the various connections between fermions, gravity
and chiral
symmetry will be discussed, highlighting potential
implications for theories
of quantum gravity.
