Max Fahn
20 Feb 2026
International Conference on Quantum Gravity and Cosmology in Bologna
The Quantum Gravity and Cosmology 2026 conference (9–13 February 2026) took place in Sala Ulisse (Hall of Odysseus) at the University of Bologna. The meeting is part of a conference series jointly organised since 2021 by several institutions around the world (INFN, Imperial College London, NORDITA, Tokyo Institute of Technology, University of Portsmouth, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, ShanghaiTech University, Universidade da Beira Interior, and other institutions).
The aim of the conference was to foster exchange between different communities working on non-perturbative approaches to gravity, ultraviolet-complete theories of quantum gravity, and their cosmological implications. The main topics included:
Non-perturbative methods, in application to quantum gravity, such as string theory, amplitudes bootstrap, functional renormalisation group, loop quantum gravity, etc.
Quantum gravity effects in the early Universe: inflation, cosmological correlators, non-gaussianities, gravitational waves; and
EFT of gravity in connection with cosmology and Black Holes.
The wide range of scientific talks sparked lively discussions, which continued during the coffee and lunch breaks held in a neighbouring room in the historic Palazzo Poggi in the heart of Bologna. The ceiling of the conference hall itself, located within the Palazzo, is decorated with paintings depicting scenes from the voyage of Odysseus — in some sense a good allegory for research in theoretical physics. Part of the conference was a dinner at a traditional Bolognese restaurant, where participants enjoyed local culinary specialities.
