Does the weak gravity conjecture hold in all quantum gravity theories? · revision history

Revision 2

Accepted · cosmetic change · record

Changes against revision 1:

Title · changed
Revision 1: Does the weak gravity conjecture hold in all quantum gravity theories
Revision 2: Does the weak gravity conjecture hold in all quantum gravity theories?
Plain
The conjecture says gravity must be the weakest force: some particle must feel electric repulsion stronger than its gravitational attraction. Whether this is a law of all quantum gravity theories is unproven.
Precise
Weak gravity conjecture (Arkani-Hamed, Motl, Nicolis, Vafa 2006): every U(1) gauge theory coupled to gravity has a state with charge-to-mass ratio at least that of extremal black holes. Determine whether this holds in every consistent quantum gravity theory, and whether the sublattice or tower versions hold.
Settled by
A derivation from general principles (black hole thermodynamics, unitarity, holography), or a consistent theory violating it.
Kind
well-posed
Answer type
yes-no
References
(empty)
Literature status
partially-resolved
Status note
Shown in perturbative string settings and supported by black-hole arguments; the strongest lattice version fails in some compactifications (2016), leaving sublattice and tower versions.
Posed since
2006

Decisions