The Emergent String Conjecture in Quantum Gravity

Explore the Emergent String Conjecture in this one-hour lecture by Timo Weigand at BIMSA. Delve into the origins of this conjecture within the Swampland Program, which investigates the consistency of quantum field theories coupled to gravity. Examine the two possibilities proposed for infinite distance limits in the moduli space of consistent quantum gravity theories: decompactification to a higher dimensional theory or the emergence of a unique weakly coupled, asymptotically tensionless critical string. Learn how this conjecture accurately captures known asymptotic regions of string and M-theory compactifications. Discover the intricate properties of moduli space geometry and string dualities that support the conjecture's validity. Investigate how the theory "self-protects" against physically inconsistent phenomena. Gain insights into the numerous follow-up works by physicists that have consistently confirmed the conjecture, including recent bottom-up motivations. Understand the potential of the Emergent String Conjecture as a powerful organizing principle for asymptotic physics in quantum gravity.