Witten's original papers on M-theory

In summary, M-theory is a theoretical framework in physics that attempts to unify different versions of string theory and proposes that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are one-dimensional strings. Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician who is known for his contributions to string theory and M-theory. In his original papers, Witten introduced the concept of duality and proposed that M-theory could unify different string theories by incorporating the concept of higher dimensions. His work has had a significant impact on the field of physics, opening up new avenues for research. However, M-theory is still a work in progress and is not considered a complete theory of the universe.
  • #1
rick1138
196
0
Does anyone have any links to Witten's origianl papers on M-theory? I tried seaching on arXiv but so many papers cam up I can't tell which are the essential ones. Any info would be appreciated.
 
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  • #2
The paper where Witten (jointly with Horava) introduced M-Theory is this
http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/9510209
"Heterotic and type I string dynamics from eleven dimensions"
 
  • #3
Thanks, exactly what I was looking for.
 
  • #4
During all the year 1995 Witten tour concentrated on speaking of the dualities, S-T etc. Thus any other papers in this subject can be of some help too.
 
  • #5
Thanks again.
 

1. What is M-theory?

M-theory is a theoretical framework in physics that attempts to unify different versions of string theory. It proposes that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are not particles, but rather one-dimensional strings. M-theory also incorporates the concept of higher dimensions, beyond the three dimensions of space and one dimension of time that we are familiar with.

2. Who is Edward Witten?

Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician who is known for his contributions to string theory and M-theory. He is currently a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Witten's work on M-theory has been influential in advancing our understanding of the universe at the smallest scales.

3. What are the main ideas presented in Witten's original papers on M-theory?

In his original papers on M-theory, Witten introduced the concept of duality, which states that different versions of string theory can be described by different mathematical equations but are actually equivalent. He also proposed that M-theory could unify the different string theories by incorporating the concept of higher dimensions.

4. How has Witten's work on M-theory impacted the field of physics?

Witten's work on M-theory has had a significant impact on the field of physics. His contributions have helped to advance our understanding of string theory and the concept of duality. M-theory has also opened up new avenues for research in areas such as quantum gravity and the nature of space and time.

5. Is M-theory a complete theory of the universe?

M-theory is still a work in progress and is not considered a complete theory of the universe. While it has provided valuable insights into the fundamental nature of the universe, it is not yet fully understood and has not been experimentally tested. Scientists continue to work on developing and refining M-theory in order to gain a deeper understanding of the universe.

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