Sommerfeld Lecture Series (ASC)

Recent experiments suggest the phenomenon of light induced superconductivity above Tc in two different materials: fullerene superconductor K3C60 and high Tc cuprate YBCO. I will discuss the distinct phenomena taking...

During more than 100 years of its history Quantum Mechanics passed all of the experimental checks and transformed itself from a counterintuitive concept to the undisputable foundation of the modern physics. Along with...

It is commonly recognized that scientific discoveries result in new technologies. In this talk we will discuss the reverse: behind every conceptual breakthrough lies some technological advance. To illustrate this point...

String theory was originally constructed as a unification of the quantum field theory of elementary particles with Einstein's theory of gravitation. Unexpectedly, it has led to the discovery of new "dualities" which...

Gravitational wave signals from coalescing binary black holes are detected, and analyzed, by using large banks of template waveforms. The construction of these templates makes an essential use of the analytical...

Aside from enabling revolutionary future technologies, quantum information science is providing powerful new tools for attacking deep problems in fundamental physical science. In particular, the recent convergence of...

The density of states of a unitary quantum field theory is known to have a universal behavior at high energy. In two dimensions, this behavior is described by the Cardy formula. When the theory has symmetry, it is...

The Principle of Least Action is both profound and practical. Since its first formulation by Maupertuis and Euler nearly three centuries ago, the Principle has been, and continues to be, a formidable battlehorse for...

The observation of gravitational wave signals by the two interferometers of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), and by the Virgo interferometer, has brought the first direct evidence for the...

Fluid turbulence is a major unsolved problem of physics exhibiting an emergent complex structure from simple rules. We will briefly review the problem and discuss three avenues towards its solution: field theory...

Cosmic strings are linear defects that could be formed at a phase transition in the early universe. Strings are predicted in a wide class of particle physics models. In particular, fundamental strings of superstring...

Euclidean gravity on a sphere (euclidean de-Sitter) gives rise to some phase factors. We discuss how these phase factors change when we include an observer. We also discuss situations involving products of spheres.

One hundred years ago, D’Arcy Thompson – a nineteenth century polymath, working at the turn of the twentieth century – wrote a beautiful monograph, “On Growth and Form”, in which he pondered the geometry of living forms...

We will review the beginning of experimental and theoretical studies of moire systems and their evolution up to present. This type of systems represent a new way of “growing” materials, and has tremendous potential both...

I will show how a new set of twisted materials based on the M point rather than the K point can realize a series of exotic phases of matter, including quantum spin liquids and charge glasses. These materials, which have...