Professor John Donoghue explains why quantum physics and gravity actually work perfectly together. He tackles quadratic gravity, effective field theory, and random dynamics, arguing that grand unification and naturalness aren't required for a theory of everything.I personally subscribe to The Economist. SUMMER SALE to Aug 17, 2026: 50% off the annual subscription! No other podcast has this! https://economist.com/TOESUPPORT:- Support me on Substack: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/subscribe- Crypto: https://nowpayments.io/donation/TOE- Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4JOIN MY SUBSTACK (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.comLISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4eTIMESTAMPS:- - - - - - - - - LINKS MENTIONED:- John's lectures: https://www.youtube.com/@johndonoghue469/featured- John's papers: https://arxiv.org/a/donoghue_j_1.html- The Renormalization Group and Critical Phenomena [Paper]: https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/wilson-lecture-2.pdf- Anthropic Considerations in Multiple-Domain Theories [Paper]: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.1822- Old "Ghost" Theory of Quantum Gravity Makes a Comeback [Article]: https://www.quantamagazine.org/old-ghost-theory-of-quantum-gravity-makes-a-comeback-20251117/- Unitarity, Stability and Loops of Unstable Ghosts [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1908.02416- An Effective Field Theory of Gravity for Extended Objects [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0409156- Not Quite a Black Hole [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1612.04889- On Quadratic Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2112.01974- Quadratic Gravity [Paper]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1804.09944- Renormalization of Higher Derivative Quantum Gravity [Paper]: http://www.weylmann.com/stelle.pdf- Quantum Theory in a Nutshell [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Field-Theory-Nutshell-nutshell/dp/0691140340- Field Theory: A Modern Primer [Book]: https://www.amazon.com/Field-Theory-Modern-Frontiers-Physics/dp/0201546116- Origin of Symmetries [Book]: https://amzn.to/4qxnLzj- String Theory Iceberg [TOE]: https://youtu.be/X4PdPnQuwjY- Neil Turok [TOE]: https://youtu.be/zNZCa1pVE20- Avshalom Elitzur [TOE]: https://youtu.be/pWRAaimQT1E- Sir Roger Penrose [TOE]: https://youtu.be/iO03t21xhdk- Ted Jacobson [TOE]: https://youtu.be/3mhctWlXyV8- Leonard Susskind [TOE]: https://youtu.be/2p_Hlm6aCok- Jonathan Oppenheim [TOE]: https://youtu.be/NKOd8imBa2s- Peter Woit [TOE]: https://youtu.be/TTSeqsCgxj8- Joseph Conlon & Peter Woit [TOE]: https://youtu.be/fAaXk_WoQqQ- Michael Levin [TOE]: https://youtu.be/c8iFtaltX-sTheories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices