Nature Science

GEOMETRY—SOURCE OF ALL BEAUTY?

Geometry may be the source of true beauty. And now, new findings suggest that it may even be the source of the universe itself.

We take a look at a beautiful new geometry discovery as well as some gorgeous new views of a geometric wonder.

Physicists have discovered a jewel-like geometric object that challenges the notion that time and space are fundamental components of reality.

Particle interactions, the most basic events in nature, may be driven by geometry. Rather than impossibly long formulas, with thousands of terms, one can compute the volume of the “amplituhedron,” which yields an equivalent one-term expression. It’s a totally new and very simple idea. And it could add layers of understanding to both quantum field theory and quantum gravity, as well as how they may relate to each other.

The amplituhedron removes two deeply rooted principles of physics: locality (interactions are only possible from adjoining positions in space and time) and unitarity (probabilities of all possible outcomes must add up to one).

Now space-time and probabilities are reconsidered in relation to geometry it simplifies the way we calculate the way our universe works.

The new amplituhedron research suggests space-time, and therefore dimensions, may be illusory. It may be that the Big Bang and the universe that emerged and evolved arose out of pure geometry.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of this jewel. It’s a beginning of a road. Physicists must also prove that the new geometric formulation works with real, existing particles, vs theoretical models.

Watch Nimi Arkami’s lecture about the Amplituhedron here.