Applications of Quantum Cosmology
Manuel Krämer (Universität Köln)

The unification of quantum theory and gravity is one of the most crucial open problems in physics. It is necessary to have a theory of quantum gravity in order to consistently describe Nature and to resolve singularities that are inherent in General Relativity. In order to decide which is the correct theory, we need testable predictions.
Cosmological models are the best candidates to look for potential observational effects because of the high energies that are present in the very early universe. Furthermore, they also serve as a mathematically simpler tested to study conceptual questions of quantum gravity.

One of the most conservative approaches to quantum cosmology is a canonical quantization that leads to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. In this talk, I will present how this approach has been applied to study whether one can observe quantum-gravitational effects in the Cosmic Microwave Background and to resolve singularities that appear in classical cosmology. I will also compare these results with findings from Loop Quantum Cosmology.