Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

Peter Woit: A New Path to Unification (The Forgotten Geometry)

Sep 2, 2024
Guest
Peter Woit
Peter Woit, a theoretical physicist and mathematician at Columbia University, disrupts conventional thinking on quantum theory and unification. He critiques string theory's limitations and proposes innovative alternatives, discussing gauge theories and the challenges of merging general relativity with quantum mechanics. Woit delves into the puzzling realm of supersymmetry, reflecting on its role in theoretical physics. The conversation also explores the implications of space-time symmetries, creative idea-sharing, and the collaborative spirit essential for advancing scientific discourse.
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INSIGHT

Unanswered Questions in Standard Model

  • The Standard Model, though successful, has open questions like the origin of its gauge groups (U1, SU2, SU3) and the values of coupling constants.
  • The Higgs field's nature and potential energy function, the pattern of matter particle charges and generations, and the lack of a non-perturbative definition are also unexplained.
INSIGHT

General Relativity's Quantum Challenge

  • General relativity, describing gravity as spacetime curvature, has been experimentally successful for over 100 years.
  • Yet, it lacks a consistent quantum description, facing renormalizability issues when quantized with standard methods.
ANECDOTE

GUTs and Proton Decay

  • Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) attempted to unify forces by embedding them in larger groups like SU5, predicting phenomena like proton decay.
  • However, experiments disproved proton decay at predicted rates, leading figures like Georgi and Glashow to abandon GUTs.
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