Axions: a bridge between string theory and the real world

by Dr Naomi Gendler (Harvard University)

Tuesday 30 Apr 2024, 16:15 → 18:15 Europe/Berlin

String theory is a framework that unifies quantum mechanics and general relativity by postulating that all particles have an underlying extended structure. While gravity is the main prediction of string theory, the presence of extra dimensions nearly universally gives rise to a hypothetical particle known as the axion. In this talk, I will explain what axions are, how we might detect them, and what string theory has to say about them. In particular, I will present results on computing dark matter abundances and axion-photon couplings from string theory, and explain how observations can help constrain the geometry of the extra dimensions. 

Zoom link