Abstract

A regime of "polymer quantum field theory on curved spacetime" should emerge in a low energy approximation of quantum gravity based on LQG ideas. This era should be characterized by a polymer scale, and  give modifications to the usual semiclassical approximation. I will describe work on gravitational collapse, cosmology, and statistical mechanics in this setting. Results include models of horizon evaporation,  inflation and graceful exit without an inflaton potential, and an indication of dimensional reduction from 4 to 2.5 dimensions.