Black Holes and Strings: the Polymer Link
  Quantum aspects of black holes represent an important testing ground for a theory of quantum gravity. The recent success of string theory in reproducing the Bekenstein-Hawking black hole entropy formula provides a link between general relativity and quantum mechanics via thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Here we speculate on the existence of new and unexpected links between black holes and polymers and other soft-matter systems. 
Ramzi R. Khuri (Queen Mary and Westfield College)