Quantum Gravity Research, But A 1000x Smaller | Ivette Fuentes

Professor of physics Ivette Fuentes is doing groundbreaking work at the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity. At the heart of Fuentes’ work are Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs)—ultra-cold states of matter in which millions of atoms behave as a single quantum system. These systems are exquisitely sensitive to gravitational effects, making them ideal candidates for probing whether gravity plays an active role in quantum collapse, as Roger Penrose has long suggested. In this conversation with Hans Busstra, Fuentes reflects on her original, cross-disciplinary approach to physics by drawing on her background as a dancer: first, one must fully master the classical forms—the established fields of physics—but true novelty only emerges when one dares to break the rules. 0:00 Introduction 4:06 Fuentes about her background as a dancer & Physics as a dance 10:08 The tension between general relativity and quantum mechanics 12:26 Strategies for unifying gravity and quantum theory 17:26 Ivette Fuentes’ work in quantum optics 21:08 Quantum field theory in curved spacetime 28:15 Roger Penrose’s dissatisfaction with quantum theory 34:52 If gravity collapses the wavefunction 37:39 Fuentes’ view compared to Penrose 44:21 Bose–Einstein condensates explained 49:51 Do phonons have gravitational effects? 55:02 The metaphysical implications of Fuentes’ work 1:01:12 Does metaphysics play a role in physics? 1:02:45 Working with Roger Penrose 1:06:30 Quantum mechanics and consciousness 1:10:40 Not surrendering to purely epistemic approaches 1:14:02 Parsimony in doing physics 1:17:37 Letting go of deeply held assumptions 1:24:29 The current paradigm in physics 1:26:13 What would physics look like from an idealist perspective? 1:27:17 Fuentes’ upcoming paper 1:29:00 Wearing different hats as a physicist 1:30:27 How Fuentes thinks about reality at home 1:31:59 Physics, classical ballet, and modern dance Archival footage used under fair use: Bose Einstein Condensates visualised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shdLjIkRaS8 LIGO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtp71NT0GNg Spacetime visualisations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNqTamaKMC8 Copyright © 2025 Essentia Foundation. All rights on interview content reserved.