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arXiv · 0803.2030

What Exactly is the Information Paradox?

Samir D. Mathur
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Abstract

The black hole information paradox tells us something important about the way quantum mechanics and gravity fit together. In these lectures I try to give a pedagogical review of the essential physics leading to the paradox, using mostly pictures. Hawking's argument is recast as a `theorem': if quantum gravity effects are confined to within a given length scale and the vacuum is assumed to be unique, then there will be information loss. We conclude with a brief summary of how quantum effects in string theory violate the first condition and make the interior of the hole a `fuzzball'.

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Samir D. Mathur. 2008-03-13. What Exactly is the Information Paradox?. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-88460-6_1

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