One of the most interesting features of the theory and framework, that we now present, is that it appears to rule out the space-time singularities purported to exist within black holes as well as the initial big bang singularity. If confirmed this will imply that black holes are not infinitely “deep” and that the big bang probably never happened — at least not as a bang.

As I have already discussed in previous newsletters the great unsolved problem in theoretical physics is how to reconcile Einsteins theory of general relativity with quantum theory. But there exist, in fact, a less famous but equally important problem, which is to understand what a quantum theory of fields actually is.

Imagine that you have been searching for ancient buildings with a tiny torchlight in the dark. And then, after much effort and many detours and disappointments, you finally discover an entrance — and the entrance you have found looks promising, it looks like the entrance to a palace, or perhaps a pyramid, but you don’t know yet, all you know is that at the end of the corridor that you have just entered you can see the faint contours of a number of doors and what you want to do now is to walk across the room and try all the doors, one after another, to see what’s behind them.
This is where Johannes and I are now. We have found an entrance and have walked in — and now we’re in the business of checking doors. For an explorer that is a good place to be.