How can quantum gravity help explain the origin of the universe?

Question: How can quantum gravity help explain the origin of the universe?
- Keywords:
  gravity,
  quantum,
  theory,
  universe
Asked by Sanchi to Connor on 21 Jun 2015.
- Connor Macrae answered on 21 Jun 2015:
  
  Quantum gravity is needed to understand the behaviour of gravity at extremely small scales. This understanding is important when considering the inside of a black hole – here, material has become compress into an extremely dense singularity, so dense that not even light can escape the gravitational pull of it. We believe that prior to the big bang all matter was compressed into a similar singularity – so answers we might find out about black holes could help answer questions about the beginning of the universe.

Question: How can quantum gravity help explain the origin of the universe?