Quantum Horizons and the Emergence of Gravity and Space-Time

Abstract: Event horizons may occur near black holes, in flat space or in a cosmological spacetimes.  In the last decade important progress has been in the understanding of the quantum properties of the horizons. These advances have revealed a deep connection between thermodynamics, quantum entanglement, and the emergence of the laws of gravitation.

Even the fabric of spacetime itself has to be viewed as being emergent from a microscopic quantum mechanical description. In this colloquium I will review these developments and explain the recent insights on the black hole information paradox.

Subsequently I will discuss the generalization and implications of these ideas to flat space and cosmological spacetimes. I will end with a discussion of possible
observational consequences.