From the ancient Greeks to the present there has been a persistent intuition in physics that the Universe must be filled with an omnipresent background ‘something’.  This essay explores whether this idea might be viable.  It starts with a hypothetical field dubbed Q and then begins a process of exploring which aspects are consistent with experimental evidence and which not.  

Introduction

This essay provides a set of ten big suggestions and the following essays will try to determine which parts might be true using logical arguments and experimental evidence.

  

Q Theory – 10 Green Hat hypotheses

The last century has witnessed dozens if not hundreds of attempts to bring gravity into the framework used to describe the other forces of Nature.  The dream is to bring Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity closer together.  In the spirit of trying to provoke new ideas a set of 10 provocative hypotheses is raised below and the following essays make a start on discussing them.

1. The Universe is filled with a mysterious energy field.  We do not know what it is, though its effects are fundamental.  To avoid preconceptions, call it Q (mainly because Q is easy to type and pronounce, but also because Q links to questions, queries, quixotic quests, quintessence, qi and quantum vacuum energy.)  
2. The spatial and temporal properties of Q are well modeled by Einstein’s field equations in four dimensional curved spacetime geometry. 
3. Gravitation is essentially a manifestation of how matter affects Q and Q affects the motion of matter.  Q is literally the physical fabric of spacetime.  Gravitational waves are “acoustic” ripples in the Q.
4. Q underlies Newton’s laws of motion.  It gives matter its mass and its inertial properties.  It explains Mach’s Principle. 
5. Q defines Lorentzian reference frames and it explains relativistic length contractions.  
6. Q is the medium in which light travels.  It is a relativistic aether.  It sponsors electro magnetic fields.  It accounts for light bending and gravitational lensing.
7. Q is sedate in deep space, but it can be set in motion by hundreds of millions of stars and enormous amounts of galactic dust rotating in a gravitationally bound spiral galaxy.  This explains spiral galaxy rotation curves.  Dark matter is not required.
8. Q is also the reason quantum effects are as they are.  For example, it explains why subatomic entities have spin.
9. Q is a sub quantum field.   Q sponsors the weak and strong nuclear forces. 
10. All sub-atomic particles, from neutrinos through to the Higgs boson are ultimately stable and semi-stable concentrations of Q.

The next few essays are going to examine arguments for and against Parts 1-7.  Parts 8, 9 and 10 require input from quantum physicists.  

References

Van de Vusse, Sjoerd B.A.,  2024,  Some ideas and experiments for issues affecting modern physics,  https://hereticalphysics.com.au

Misner, Charles W; Thorne, Kip S; Wheeler, John Archibald, 1972, Gravitation, W H Freeman and Company ISBN 0-7167-03344-0 (paperback)

Author contact:  SBAvan@utas.edu.au
Author’s location:  Hobart, Australia