Elements of Loop Quantum Cosmology

TL;DR

This paper discusses how loop quantum cosmology offers a quantum gravity framework that resolves classical singularities and provides insights into the early universe's structure formation.

Contribution

It reviews the foundational elements of loop quantum cosmology and its implications for understanding the universe's origin without classical singularities.

Findings

Resolution of classical big bang singularity

Predictions for observable imprints in cosmic structure

A consistent quantum cosmological model

Abstract

The expansion of our universe, when followed backward in time, implies that it emerged from a phase of huge density, the big bang. These stages are so extreme that classical general relativity combined with matter theories is not able to describe them properly, and one has to refer to quantum gravity. A complete quantization of gravity has not yet been developed, but there are many results about key properties to be expected. When applied to cosmology, a consistent picture of the early universe arises which is free of the classical pathologies and has implications for the generation of structure which are potentially observable in the near future.