From quantum information to black holes and cosmology

Abstract: Black holes have not just become laboratories for astronomers, but also present some of the deepest unsolved problems in theoretical physics. During the past decade surprising connections have been made between ideas from quantum information, condensed matter physics, and gravitational physics. In this talk I will explain several aspects of these connections. In particular, we will see that by treating a black hole as a quantum computer, we can understand various properties of the black hole interior. I will also show that similar ideas, when applied to cosmology, lead to surprising and puzzling features that motivate future studies of the subject.