Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sašo Grozdanov (FMF): Black holes, the edge of knowledge, and what is knowable: past lessons and future challenges

Black holes are probably the most fascinating objects in nature. Their study places us at the frontier between known and unknown physical laws—at the intersection of classical General Relativity, quantum physics, and the still-developing theory of quantum gravity. In the first part of this talk, I will discuss what black holes are, what we currently understand about them, what remains mysterious, and how they fit into the string-theoretic holographic (AdS/CFT) duality, which connects certain theories of quantum gravity to quantum field theories. I will then present some of my past research results that stem from studying black holes and their relation to quantum physics through holography. These include statements about hydrodynamics, many-body localisation, heavy-ion physics, and quantum chaos, all in strongly interacting quantum field theories. Finally, I will outline several foundational open problems in theoretical physics and reflect on the connections between physics, philosophy, and art.
Cookies, tea