Geometric Simplicity in Quantum Field Theory and Gravity

by Prof. Thomas Grimm (Utrecht University)

Tuesday 19 Nov 2024, 15:00 → 17:00 Europe/Berlin

In physics, simplicity is a guiding ideal - something we instinctively recognize as fundamental, yet find elusive to quantify in universal terms. Familiar examples include algebraic relations among Feynman amplitudes and cosmological correlators, the surprising simplifications arising in large-N or duality limits, and the central role played by symmetries. In this colloquium, we introduce a novel framework that formalizes simplicity through a quantitative measure of complexity, inspired by recent breakthroughs in the mathematical field of tame geometry. This measure captures the information content required to specify a theory or observable and offers a unifying perspective on the emergence of simplicity across many physical settings. By expanding our view to the broader landscape of theories, we will also explore how this approach can provide insights into constraints on effective theories that can be coupled to quantum gravity.