Physics Program Presents

How Your Cooling Mug of Coffee Unites Quantum Particles and Black Holes!

Why does your coffee always cool down, and what does this have to do with some of the most profound mysteries of the universe? How do isolated quantum systems thermalize, and how is this process fundamentally different from classical thermalization? If quantum mechanics is unitary and reversible, how can it ever reconcile with the extremely well-tested irreversible predictions of statistical mechanics, like your coffee cooling down? This talk introduces the concept of quantum thermalization and explores its deep connections with quantum chaos. Special attention is given to the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model, which offers a compelling framework for studying quantum thermalization and quantum chaos in the often inaccessible thermodynamic limit. Finally, we highlight surprising connections between the SYK model and black hole physics, illustrating how quantum chaos and thermalization provide a window into fundamental questions in quantum gravity.

---

For more information, call 845-758-6822, or e-mail [email protected].

Time: 12:00 pm EDT/GMT-4

Location: Brody Lab - Hegeman 107

Subscribe: Save this Event: Subscribe / .ics File