Emergence of Einstein's gravity from higher curvature f(R) theories through cosmological evolution
arxiv.org
A new arxiv study shows how Einstein's familiar gravity can naturally "emerge" from more exotic higher-curvature theories — suggesting General Relativity may be an evolutionary endpoint, not a fundamental starting point.
Conformal EquivalenceAttractor Mechanismsf(R) Modified GravityGeneral Relativity
Theory Briefing
- f(R) theories modify gravity by replacing the Ricci scalar with a function of curvature, yet this study shows they can cosmologically evolve toward standard Einstein gravity.
- The theories carry a dual scalar-tensor formulation linked by a conformal transformation of the metric, revealing a hidden structural equivalence across gravitational frameworks.
- This emergence mechanism implies General Relativity may be a late-time attractor state rather than a fundamental law, reshaping how physicists think about gravity's origin.