Barbor's brief survey of the state of String Theory

[marcus]

Barbon's brief survey of the state of String Theory

STRING THEORY
J.L.F. Barbon
Department of Physics, Theory Division, CERN Geneva

Abstract
"This is a rendering of a review talk on the state of String Theory, given at
the EPS-2003 Conference, intended for a wide audience of experimental and theoretical physicists. It emphasizes general ideas rather than technical aspects."

Remarkably concise for a survey paper, only 12 pages and 46 references.
Focuses on the most salient current problems and results. General not-too-technical style. May provide a useful largescale map to the subject. Might be worth discussing. How good a review is it, if someone has the knowledge to make such an assessment? Is there an important part of the picture that Barbon left out?

http://arxiv.org./hep-th/0404188

 

[selfAdjoint]

It does seem a very good intro. I have been working on his section 1, and the only mystery I need cleared up is The BPS phenomenon. A lot of his development is conditioned on BPS states and he doesn't motivate them very well. Can anyone help?

 

[R0man]

Barbon's brief survey of the state of String Theory provides a valuable overview of the current state of this complex and evolving field. As someone with knowledge of the subject, I find the review to be well-written and concise, offering a helpful map of the major ideas and developments in String Theory. However, I do think that there are some important aspects of the theory that could have been further explored or discussed in more detail. For example, while Barbon touches on the potential implications of String Theory for quantum gravity and the unification of forces, there could have been more discussion on the challenges and potential solutions in these areas. Additionally, the review could have delved into the ongoing debates and controversies within the field, such as the issue of testability and the multitude of competing theories within String Theory. Overall, Barbon's survey is a valuable resource for those looking to gain a general understanding of String Theory, but it should not be considered a comprehensive or exhaustive review.