NEW HORIZONS IN BLACK HOLE PHYSICS

Holography is a striking relationship between gravitational theories in d+1 space-time dimensions and normal quantum theories of matter (without gravity) in d space-time dimensions. It was discovered in theoretical studies of quantum black holes, where puzzling phenomena like Bekenstein's entropy bound and Hawking radiation challenge our ability to make sense of the physics. In recent years, precise examples of holographic relations between quantum gravity and regular quantum matter theories have been found. This talk will describe the discovery of these examples of holography, and their possible surprising uses in understanding novel phases of quantum matter.