What if gravity emerges from very few quantum informational principles?
Gravity is the most familiar yet perhaps the most mysterious force we experience daily. But what if gravity isn’t fundamental, but instead emerges from something deeper and more essential—quantum entanglement?
Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon where two particles become deeply interconnected so that measuring the state of one instantly influences the state of the other, no matter the distance separating them. Einstein famously called this “spooky action at a distance,” and it has intrigued physicists for decades. Prominent scientists—including Ted Jacobson and Erik Verlinde—have theorized that entanglement might be more than just a quantum curiosity; it could form the very fabric of spacetime and gravity itself.
In a concise new paper, I explore this intriguing idea through a deliberately minimalist thought experiment. Starting with just two straightforward quantum assumptions:
- Entanglement entropy scales proportionally with a boundary’s perimeter.
- Temperature associated with quantum information decreases with distance.
Remarkably, from these two basic assumptions alone, a gravitational force resembling Newton’s famous inverse-distance law emerges naturally in a simplified two-dimensional scenario.
This modest but clear result supports an exciting possibility: gravity could fundamentally arise from quantum entanglement. This perspective is gaining attention as scientists reconsider the fundamental building blocks of our universe.
You can read the concise paper here. I’d welcome your thoughts and invite you to join this growing conversation around quantum gravity and quantum information.