Asymptotic freedom of general relativity and its possible consequences

Abstract

The formation of singularities in certain situations, such as the collapse of massive stars, is one of the unresolved issues in classical general relativity. Although no complete theory of quantum gravity exists it is often suggested that quantum gravity effects may prevent the formation of these singularities. In this article we will present arguments that a quantized theory of gravity might exhibit asymptotic freedom. Considering the similarites between non-Abelian gauge theories and general relativity it is conjectured that a quantized theory of gravity may have a coupling strength which decreases with increasing energy scale. Such a scale dependent coupling strength, could provide a concrete mechanism for preventing the formation of singularities.