Steve Giddings, Professor of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara
As evidence mounts for the existence of black holes, we have failed to give a satisfactory description of them in a quantum theory, revealing an apparent contradiction among current foundational physical principles. One approach is to view black holes as quantum subsystems that can exchange information with their environment, making contact with problems in quantum information theory. The need to modify present physics also suggests the possibility of observational tests, through gravitational wave observation, or possibly by optical means.