The Quantum Gravity Impasse
For nearly a century, theoretical physics has grappled with one of its greatest challenges: unifying quantum mechanics with general relativity into a consistent theory of quantum gravity. Despite decades of brilliant work across multiple approaches—string theory, loop quantum gravity, asymptotic safety, causal sets, and others—the field remains at an impasse.
The challenges are profound:
- Experimental inaccessibility: The Planck scale (10⁻³⁵ m) is 10¹⁶ orders of magnitude smaller than what current particle accelerators can probe
- Mathematical complexity: The theories require sophisticated mathematical machinery at the intersection of differential geometry, algebraic topology, and quantum field theory
- Computational barriers: Many calculations are intractable without significant computational advances
- Conceptual fragmentation: Different approaches often speak different mathematical languages, making cross-pollination difficult
We believe that intelligent, high-performance software tools can help break this impasse—not by replacing theoretical insight, but by amplifying it.
Why "Planckeon"?
Our name draws from one of the most profound concepts in theoretical physics: planckeons—hypothetical entities existing at the Planck scale, where the fabric of spacetime itself becomes quantized.
The Planck Scale & Its Mysteries
At scales of approximately 10⁻³⁵ meters (Planck length) and 10⁻⁵ grams (Planck mass), we reach the Planck scale—the regime where quantum mechanics and general relativity must unify. Here, the familiar continuum of spacetime breaks down, and something more fundamental emerges.
Planckeons as the Atoms of Spacetime
Recent theoretical work (2024–2026) by Licata, Tamburini, Fiscaletti, and others characterizes planckeons as the fundamental "grains" of the gravitational vacuum.
Wormhole Mouths & the ER=EPR Conjecture
Planckeons are modeled as the "mouths" of non-traversable Einstein-Rosen (ER) bridges—quantum wormholes at the Planck scale. They serve as holographic devices that realize the ER=EPR conjecture, proposed by Maldacena and Susskind, which posits a deep equivalence between:
- ER: Einstein-Rosen wormholes (geometric connections through spacetime)
- EPR: Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement (quantum correlations)
In this view, entanglement is geometry—quantum correlations between distant regions are geometrically realized as wormhole connections.
Emergent Spacetime from Entanglement
Perhaps most remarkably, this framework suggests that spacetime is not fundamental but emerges from a more primitive structure. The lattice of planckeons as wormhole mouths defines the Planck scale and generates the spacetime that crystallizes from the quantum entanglement of nonlocal correlations.
Key Physical Parameters
| Property | Value | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Mass | ~10⁻⁵ g (Planck mass) | Where quantum and gravitational effects balance |
| Length | ~10⁻³³ cm (Planck length) | The smallest meaningful length scale |
| Time | ~10⁻⁴³ s (Planck time) | Fundamental temporal resolution |
| Statistics | q-deformed | Beyond ordinary bosons and fermions |
The Name as Mission
We chose Planckeon because it captures what we aspire to in our software:
| Physics Concept | Software Analogy |
|---|---|
| Fundamental | Building tools that address core computational challenges |
| Bridging | Connecting abstract theory with practical computation |
| Emergent | Creating frameworks where complex capabilities emerge from well-designed primitives |
| At the Edge | Working where established methods break down |
| Unifying | Bringing together disparate approaches |
References
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Licata, I., Tamburini, F., & Fiscaletti, D. (2025). Planckeons as mouths of quantum wormholes and holographic origin of spacetime. arXiv:2505.02804
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Maldacena, J., & Susskind, L. (2013). Cool horizons for entangled black holes. arXiv:1306.0533
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Van Raamsdonk, M. (2010). Building up spacetime with quantum entanglement. arXiv:1005.3035
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Buoninfante, L., et al. (2024). Visions in Quantum Gravity. arXiv:2412.08696