Can protons tell us about quantum gravity?

Protons and neutrons are made of smaller particles called quarks and gluons, which are described by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). This is a quantum field theory, and underlies physics at particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider in CERN. Recently, an intriguing mathematical correspondence has been found between theories like QCD, and the theory of gravity (General Relativity). The hope is that we can use quarks and gluons to give hints of a long-sought after quantum theory of gravity, which is needed to explain extreme events in the universe, such as black holes and the Big Bang itself. This colloquium will review the correspondence between QCD and gravity, before describing recent research on this topic carried out in Glasgow and elsewhere.