Speaker
Michal Eckstein
(University of Gdansk)
Description
The idea that spacetime might be quantised was already pondered by Heisenberg in 1930s, as a potential remedy to the divergencies lurking in quantum electrodynamics. However, the concept of a ‘noncommutative spacetime geometry’ needed over a half of century to become established as a mathematical structure. Although it has not fulfilled the original Heiseberg’s dream (so far), it revealed a completely new perspective on fundamental physics and has found applications ranging from condensed matter and particle physics to gravity and cosmology.
The lecture will be a friendly introduction to the misty realm of noncommutative geometry. I shall discuss the motivations and basic mathematical concepts basing on the operational paradigm of physics.
Author
Michal Eckstein
(University of Gdansk)
