Gravity in quantum spacetime

The literature on quantum-gravity-inspired scenarios for the quantization of spacetime has so far focused on particle-physics-like studies. This is partly justified by the present limitations of our understanding of quantum-gravity theories, but we here argue that valuable insight can be gained through semi-heuristic analyses of the implications for gravitational phenomena of some results obtained in the quantum-spacetime literature. In particular, we show that the types of description of particle propagation that emerged in certain quantum-spacetime frameworks have striking implications for gravitational collapse and for the behaviour of gravity at large distances.Comment: This essay received honorable mention in the Gravity Research Foundation 2010 Awards for Essays on Gravitatio