Aspects of Group Field Theory Condensate Cosmology

Andreas Pithis (King's College)

The Group Field Theory (GFT) proposal to quantum gravity is closely related to Loop Quantum Gravity, simplicial quantum gravity as well as matrix and tensor models. Drawing from condensed matter theory, its GFT condensate cosmology spinoff aims at providing a framework for quantum cosmology. The main conceptual idea and conjecture of this framework is that continuum spacetime is a thermodynamical phase of an underlying GFT system, that is obtained through a phase transition. In this context, I will discuss the main aspects as well as progress and problems of the condensate cosmology picture exemplified through free and effectively interacting models. The talk is mainly based on the material presented in arXiv:1607.06662, 1612.02456, 1606.00352. (Further information about this approach can be found in the review article arXiv:1602.08104 by Gielen and Sindoni.)