Symmetry and Gravity: From Einstein to Today

In 1915, Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of gravity, space, and time with his general theory of relativity. Einstein’s breakthrough was based on a recognition of new, fundamental symmetries of nature, and since then, symmetry has been a guiding principle in our search for a complete quantum mechanical theory of gravity. In the past decade, based on developments in the mathematical field of category theory, we have seen an explosion of more general notions of symmetry in physics than we might have ever imagined. These exciting new notions of symmetry have led to significant research efforts, including the Simons Collaboration on Global Categorical Symmetries and the Swampland Program, dedicated to understanding their implications for gravity and physics in our universe.

This talk will tell the story of symmetry in theoretical physics, and its interplay with developments in our understanding of gravity over the years. In this talk, we will explore the power of symmetry as a tool for building physical theories, and how the recent explosion of generalized notions of symmetry has led to concrete, specific predictions about our universe.