What if string theory has no de Sitter vacua?

TL;DR

This paper reviews two decades of efforts to find de Sitter vacua in string theory, suggesting the possibility that such vacua may not exist within the theory, which could have profound implications.

Contribution

It provides a concise overview of the challenges and results in constructing de Sitter vacua, proposing that their non-existence might be a fundamental feature of string theory.

Findings

Decades of research have yet to conclusively demonstrate de Sitter vacua in string theory

The absence of de Sitter vacua could imply a need to rethink cosmological models in string theory

The paper discusses the controversial nature of these conclusions within the scientific community

Abstract

We present a brief overview of attempts to construct de Sitter vacua in string theory and explain how the results of this 20-year endeavor could point to the fact that string theory harbors no de Sitter vacua at all. Making such a statement is often considered controversial and "bad news for string theory". We discuss how perhaps the opposite can be true.