General relativistic light propagation effects: new insight into cosmic voids, dark matter, dark energy, and Einstein's theory of gravity. This project aims to be the first to develop new methods which will allow accurate study of light propagation effects. These methods remove the “noise” (light propagation effects) from observational data, resulting in unprecedented accuracy of the analyses and new insight into properties of dark energy. At the same time these methods use the “noise” as the ac ....General relativistic light propagation effects: new insight into cosmic voids, dark matter, dark energy, and Einstein's theory of gravity. This project aims to be the first to develop new methods which will allow accurate study of light propagation effects. These methods remove the “noise” (light propagation effects) from observational data, resulting in unprecedented accuracy of the analyses and new insight into properties of dark energy. At the same time these methods use the “noise” as the actual signal to measure properties of the Universe, especially the mass distribution inside cosmic voids (places in the Universe avoided by galaxies), which will solve the problem of dark matter distribution inside cosmic voids. The project aims to use light propagation effects to test Einstein's theory of gravity at cosmological scales.Read moreRead less
Explorations in the Foundations of Quantum Gravity. Despite almost a century of struggle, gravitation (as described by Einstein's general theory of relativity) remains divided from the principles of quantum theory (the framework in which our best theories of particle physics are couched). Bringing them together constitutes one of the most urgent problems of physics. By exploring the foundations of the problem, and the various proposed resolutions, from both historical and philosophical perspecti ....Explorations in the Foundations of Quantum Gravity. Despite almost a century of struggle, gravitation (as described by Einstein's general theory of relativity) remains divided from the principles of quantum theory (the framework in which our best theories of particle physics are couched). Bringing them together constitutes one of the most urgent problems of physics. By exploring the foundations of the problem, and the various proposed resolutions, from both historical and philosophical perspectives, this project aims both to shed new light on why it so stubbornly resists a solution and to assist in its solution. It will map out the specific features of the various approaches to quantum gravity with a view to offering researchers a helpful tool to navigate and compare their virtues and vices.Read moreRead less