Sociology of Physics: comment and indices

AI Thread Summary
The discussion highlights the sociology-of-science implications within theoretical physics, particularly through the works of Ozzy Zapata and Roger Penrose. Both emphasize how intellectual trends, like string theory, can become expert fads, with Penrose's 2006 talk providing an engaging critique. Citation metrics reveal a significant decline in the prominence of recent string theory papers, suggesting a waning interest among physicists. Despite a stable publication rate, the drop in citations raises questions about the field's relevance and acceptance. Overall, these insights indicate potential shifts in the landscape of theoretical physics and its research focus.
  • #151
Updated Loop QG publication data.
Yearly Loop research publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 84 (as of 3 July 2010)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

If you click on any of these and then select sort by citation count and repeat the display, you will get the most highly cited papers listed first, a handy way to spot ground-breaking or influential papers.
=======================

To keep track of the popular physics book market (Amazon salesranks) I show here some mid-month salesrank averages for the string top five. I plan to take the average of noon readings on the 14, 15, 16 of July, extending this record.

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010...?...

July 3 9402

Here's a spot check of the noon salesrank average for the stringy top five. At noon on 3 July the five most popular titles (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 3021, 6011, 9858, 11749, 16373, averaging out to 9402.4.

================================
Here's the string publication picture for the first five months of successive years.
This does a search at Harvard abstracts (keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic):

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 3 July, totals for Jan+Feb+March+April+May of four successive years were: 2630, 2638, 2499, 2105
=====
Here are corresponding links for the first six months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

With June 2010 incompletely reported, the numbers as of 3 July are 3002, 2964, 2925, 2352.
 
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  • #152
It's helpful to recall the recent precipitous drop in citations of string research papers by string theorists themselves. The loss of professional interest in that type of research can help us understand the falling off of public interest in popular accounts. More precisely there has been a drop-off in the proportion of highly cited recent papers* which are on string topics, something I reported back in mid-Febrary 2010:

marcus said:
Here are links to Spires "top-50" listings
for 2008:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2008/annual.shtml
for 2009:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml

These are reported in articles such as: "Top-cited high-energy physics articles during 2008",
from SLAC-Stanford's online magazine Symmetry-Breaking
http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/bre...ited-high-energy-physics-articles-during-2008

String citation standing in the Spires top 50 HEP list has dropped. In the early 2000s it would often happen that around twelve out of the top fifty would be recent string papers. And the rankings of those twelve were often near the top of the 50 list. By recent, I mean papers that appeared in the past five years, counting back from the year in question. For the year 2008, it would be 2004-2008.

In 2008 four of the fifty top-cited HEP papers were recent string. And the four recent string papers that made the top 50 list had average citecount of just under 180, which put them down near the bottom of the list. Their ranks were 37, 44, 48, 49.

In 2009 only one of the top-cited HEP fifty, was a recent string paper. And it was number 33, two thirds of the way down the list...

Details were given in this post:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=372499
Here's the link to Spires topcites listings:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml

*high energy physics (HEP) research papers
========================
The loss of interest which shows up in the popular book market is to some extent correlated, perhaps with a lag of a few years. These are 3-day averages of the top five string books' salesranks, taken right around the 15th of each month:

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010...?...

For consistency, I take the readings at noon Pacific time. Some recent spot checks at noon on various days:

3July 9402
5July 10097
6July 6518

As of 5 July, the string top five (parallel, elegant, hyperspace, fabric, black hole) ranked 5835, 8434, 8675, 13056, 14486 for an average of 10097.2
Noon 6 July string top five (elegant, parallel, hyperspace, fabric, warped) 2166, 4263, 4657, 5482, 16020 for an average of 6517.6

To get rid of some of the random fluctuation, the figure that will be recorded for the mid-month July will as usual be an average of three days in the middle of the month. 14, 15, and 16 July.
 
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  • #153
String publication picture for the first five months of successive years.
This does a search at Harvard abstracts (keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic):

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 12 July, totals for Jan+Feb+March+April+May of four successive years were: 2626, 2638, 2502, 2088. By now we've allowed enough time for the May late entries and these figures should remain fairly stable.
=====
Here are corresponding links for the first six months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 12 July, with June 2010 incompletely reported, the numbers are 2999, 2964, 2928, 2345.

Loop QG publication data.
Yearly Loop research publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 86 (as of 12 July 2010)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

If you select sort by citation count and repeat the display, the most highly cited papers will be listed first.
=======================

To keep track of the popular physics book market (Amazon salesranks) I show here some mid-month salesrank averages for the string top five. I plan to take the average of noon readings on the 14, 15, 16 of July, extending this record.

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010...?...

3July 9402

12July 9572

Sample spot checks of the noon salesrank average for the stringy top five. At noon on 3 July the five most popular titles (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 3021, 6011, 9858, 11749, 16373, averaging out to 9402.4.
At noon on 12 July the five most popular titles ( parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, black hole) ranked 3156, 4381, 4687, 13260, 22376, averaging out to 9572.0.================================
 
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  • #154
At noon 14 July the string topfive average salesrank was 6286.2.
Parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, fabric hardbound ranked 3542, 4584, 6468, 6474, 10363.
Unusual surge in sales, compared with what it's been for the past month or so, could be related to a media event like talkshow appearance or airing a TV series.

At noon 15 July the string topfive average salesrank was 10172.2.
elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole: 3352, 4864, 6146, 7961, 28538.
 
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  • #155
Revised figures from the Harvard abstracts database:

String publication picture for the first five months of successive years.
This does a search (keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic):

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 16 July, totals for Jan+Feb+March+April+May of four successive years were: 2628, 2641, 2531, 2067. These totals should now remain fairly stable.
=====
Here are corresponding links for the first six months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 16 July, with June 2010 incompletely reported, the numbers are 3001, 2968, 2957, 2393.

=================
At noon 14 July the string topfive average salesrank was 6286.2.
Parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, fabric hardbound ranked 3542, 4584, 6468, 6474, 10363.
Unusual surge in sales, compared with what I've seen over the past month or so, could be related to a media event like talkshow appearance or a TV special.

At noon 15 July the string topfive average salesrank was 10172.2.
elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole: 3352, 4864, 6146, 7961, 28538.

At noon 16 July the string topfive average salesrank was 8924.8
elegant, hyperspace, fabric, parallel, hyperspace, fabric hardbound: 3483, 5005, 6981, 9224, 19931.

As usual averaging over three mid-month days to get rid of some random fluctuation we have
the mid-July figure of 8461.1.

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010 8461
August...?...
 
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  • #156
I would like to do the same thing as the following, but with LQC as well as with LQG.

To show what I mean, here is Loop QG publication data.
Yearly Loop research publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 90 (as of 21 July 2010)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

========================
Now suppose we want to watch LQC instead (Loop Cosmology). Trying keyword "quantum cosmology, loop space". I will get the links for some consecutive years and see what turns out:

2006: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE%3D2006&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2007: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE%3D2007&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2008: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE%3D2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2009: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE%3D2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2010: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE%3D2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE= (incomplete)

2006 21
2007 39
2008 46
2009 45
2010 32 (as of 21 July)

I happened to check the popular physics book listings at noon today and the string top five (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole) ranked 5077, 7529, 7912, 8531, 26510, for an average of 11111.8 (22 July)
See the previous post for how this average has behaved in the past (midmonth averages usually from the 14,15,16th of each month).
 
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  • #157
Adding another keyword works slightly better at searching for LQC papers. I'm now trying keyword "quantum cosmology, loop space OR (quantum gravity, loop space AND Friedman model)". Here are links for the same consecutive years:

2006: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2006&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2007: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2007&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2008: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2009: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2010: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2006 21
2007 39
2008 46
2009 45
2010 34 (as of 25 July)

Here are the same searches, with results ordered by citation count, to show the most cited papers of each year first.

2006: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2006&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29

2007: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2007&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29

2008: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29

2009: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29

2010: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29
 
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  • #158
Revised figures from the Harvard abstracts database:

String publication picture for the first five months of successive years.
This does a search (keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic):

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 28 July, totals for Jan+Feb+March+April+May of four successive years were: 2628, 2641, 2531, 2064.
=====
Here are corresponding links for the first six months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 28 July, the numbers through June appear stable and are 3001, 2968, 2957, 2392.

=================
Mid-month averages of pop string books' salesranks.
Ranks, at noon Pacific, of the five most popular books.

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010 8461
August...?...

Spot checks of the popular physics book listings at noon on several days:

22 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole) ranked 5077, 7529, 7912, 8531, 26510, for an average of 11111.8

27 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, hyperspace, fabric, warped) ranked 4060, 6242, 6728, 9543, 14614, for an average of 8237.4

28 July, the string top five (parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 5111, 5928, 10002, 10034, 15459, for an average of 9306.8

29 July, the string top five (elegant, fabric, parallel, hyperspace, warped) ranked 3149, 7988, 10807, 14506, 17604, for an average of 10810.8

==========================
Some LQG research publication data:
Yearly Loop gravity publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 92 (as of 28 July 2010)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Similar data from the subfield LQC (Loop Quantum Cosmology). The Loop cosmology index uses Spires database with keywords "quantum cosmology, loop space OR (quantum gravity, loop space AND Friedman model)". Here are links for consecutive years:

2006: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2006&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2007: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2007&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2008: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2009: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2010: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2006 21
2007 39
2008 46
2009 45
2010 35 (as of 28 July)
=====================

For future reference, string publication of the first seven months of successive years. Here are corresponding links:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 28 July: 3333, 3338, 3274, (preliminary, not all July is in) 2540
 
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  • #159
The issue of citation counts keeps coming up. The precipitous decline in citations (by string theorists themselves to recent papers by their colleagues) is a remarkable indication of the declining value and interest of recent research.
Here are links to Spires "top-50" listings
for 2008:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2008/annual.shtml
for 2009:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml

These are reported in articles such as: "Top-cited high-energy physics articles during 2008",
from SLAC-Stanford's online magazine Symmetry-Breaking
http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/bre...ited-high-energy-physics-articles-during-2008

String citation standing in the Spires top 50 HEP list has dropped. In the early 2000s it would often happen that around twelve out of the top fifty would be recent string papers. And the rankings of those twelve were often near the top of the 50 list. By recent, I mean papers that appeared in the past five years, counting back from the year in question. For the year 2008, it would be 2004-2008.

In 2008 four of the fifty top-cited HEP papers were recent string. And the four recent string papers that made the top 50 list had average citecount of just under 180, which put them down near the bottom of the list. Their ranks were 37, 44, 48, 49.

In 2009 only one of the top-cited HEP fifty, was a recent string paper. And it was number 33, two thirds of the way down the list. The paper in question was cited 222 times.

Details were given in this post:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=372499
Here's the link to Spires topcites listings:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtmlContinuing some checks of the popular physics book listings at noon of several days. See previous post for comparison with years back before the decline in popular interest:

22 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole) ranked 5077, 7529, 7912, 8531, 26510, for an average of 11111.8

27 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, hyperspace, fabric, warped) ranked 4060, 6242, 6728, 9543, 14614, for an average of 8237.4

28 July, the string top five (parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 5111, 5928, 10002, 10034, 15459, for an average of 9306.8

29 July, the string top five (elegant, fabric, parallel, hyperspace, warped) ranked 3149, 7988, 10807, 14506, 17604, for an average of 10810.8

30 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 4754, 7603, 9231, 13954, 25062, for an average of 12120.8String publication of the first seven months of successive years. Harvard abstracts database keywords "superstrings, brane, M-theory, compactification, AdS/CFT, heterotic":

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 30 July: 3333, 3338, 3274, (preliminary) 2623
Late entries for July will bring the last figure up somewhat.
 
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  • #160
Revised figures from the Harvard abstracts database:

String publication picture for the first five months of successive years.
This does a search (keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic):

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 2 August, totals for Jan+Feb+March+April+May of four successive years were: 2628, 2641, 2550, 2089.
=====
Here are corresponding links for the first six months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 2 August, the numbers through June appear stable and are 3001, 2968, 2976, 2424.
======
Here are some figures for the first seven months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 2 August: 3334, 3338, 3293, 2626 (preliminary, not all July is in)

=================
Mid-month averages of pop string books' salesranks.
Ranks, at noon Pacific, of the five most popular books.

January2007 4396
February2007 3789
November2008 3711
July2009 6485
March2010 7521
April2010 11983
May2010 6884
June2010 9731
July2010 8461
August...?...

Spot checks of the popular physics book listings on several days at noon (or when busy, as close as I could make it):

22 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, fabric, hyperspace, black hole) ranked 5077, 7529, 7912, 8531, 26510, for an average of 11111.8

27 July, the string top five (elegant, parallel, hyperspace, fabric, warped) ranked 4060, 6242, 6728, 9543, 14614, for an average of 8237.4

28 July, the string top five (parallel, elegant, fabric, hyperspace, warped) ranked 5111, 5928, 10002, 10034, 15459, for an average of 9306.8

29 July, the string top five (elegant, fabric, parallel, hyperspace, warped) ranked 3149, 7988, 10807, 14506, 17604, for an average of 10810.8

30 July 12120.8
31 July 9999.2
1 August 14482.6
2 August 12011.2
3 August 16426.4

==========================
Some LQG research publication data:
Yearly Loop gravity publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 92 (as of 2 August)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Similar data from the subfield LQC (Loop Quantum Cosmology). The Loop cosmology index uses Spires database with keywords "quantum cosmology, loop space OR (quantum gravity, loop space AND Friedman model)". Here are links for consecutive years:

2006: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2006&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2007: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2007&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2008: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2009: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2010: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+DK+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+%28DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DK+FRIEDMAN+MODEL%29+AND+DATE%3D2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

2006 21
2007 39
2008 46
2009 45
2010 35 (as of 2 August)
 
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  • #161
I've been using Amazon salesranks as a rough indicator of public interest in string (as compared with other pop-physics, or simply in general).
So far I have not been including the KINDLE e-book sales, because Amazon lists their salesranks separately and gives no clear indication of how to compare e-book ranks with ordinary book ranks.

Also in past years the e-book sales have not seemed (from what I can tell) to be large enough to compete significantly for places in the top five.

However I looked into this recently and have the impression that the Kindle e-book editions of string books (e.g. by Brian Greene) have now become an important part of the market and should be counted among our "top five", and also that one can get an adequate estimate of what the salesrank would be simply by using the rank of the next real BOOK in the cosmology bestseller list (where all the popular string titles are to be found together with favorites like the Hawking books, Carl Sagan, and so on.)

As of noon 10 August the five most popular string books were elegant, fabric, e-fabric, e-elegant, parallel.
Using the "next real book" estimate their salesranks were 4237, 4562, 11093, 14068, 14558, for an average of 9703.6

If we did not include e-books, the stringy topfive average salesrank would be higher, because the list of top five would have to include a couple of titles of much less popular books.
=======================================
Here is the record so far, which has not included e-book editions but will in future.
Mid-month noon salesrank averages of the five most popular books.

January2007: 4396
February2007: 3789
November2008: 3711
July2009: 6485
March2010: 7521
April2010: 11983
May2010: 6884
June2010: 9731
July2010: 8461
August2010:...?...
=======================================

String publication for first six months of successive years. Source is Harvard abstracts database using these keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 10 August, the numbers through June appear stable and are 3002, 2968, 2976, 2418.
 
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  • #162
As explained in the previous post, I've started including e-book editions (along with the usual hardbound and paperback) in determining the stringy top five. Since Amazon does not publish the overall salesranks but keeps "books" and e-books separate, I have to estimate the salesrank equivalent. I do this using the "cosmology bestseller" list where all the popular string books appear together with other such as Hawking, Sagan etc.
Simply take the salesrank of the next "real book" in order.

Using this extimate the top five stringies as of noon 12 August were
e-fabric, elegant, e-elegant, fabric, parallel and their ranks were
6223, 6662, 12462, 12835, 18811, for an average of 11398.6

Amazon has identified a pop-cosmology market consisting of lay-reader big vision books about the universe and what fundamental particles it is made of and how it came to be--plus cool awesome stuff like black holes and time travel---they gather all that in the "cosmology" bestseller list. The popular string books are there, so it makes it easy to find their salesranks. Have a look at the list!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/13449/&tag=pfamazon01-20

Here are the midmonth average salesrank readings that I've recorded over the past years. Normally noon readings on the 14, 15, 16th of any given month. I might start averaging 5 readings: like 13, 14, 15, 16, 17th. The idea is to record the average salesrank of the five most popular stringy books. When I started checking this number was typically around 3000-4000. Now, with declining interest and popularity, it tends to be higher (although events like a science fair or publicity surrounding a new TV series on the Universe can bring it down around 5000-6000 from time to time.)
Code: 
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:    ...?...
 
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  • #163
Noon midmonth readings:

13 August 8515.2
14 August 8010.6
15 August ...?
16 August ...?
17 August ...?

On 13 August the five most popular stringy books (now including electronic editions) were elegant, e-fabric, parallel, e-elegant, fabric, and their salesranks averaged 8515.2.
On 14 August the five most popular stringy books were elegant, e-fabric, parallel, fabric, e-elegant, and their salesranks averaged 8010.6.
========

Update on LQG research publication data:
Yearly Loop gravity publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 94 (as of 14 August)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #164
Noon midmonth average salesranks of the five currently most popular string books:

13 August 8515.2
14 August 8010.6
15 August 8374.8
16 August 9224.0
17 August 13906.6

These average out to 9606.6

On 13 August the five most popular stringy books (now including electronic editions) were elegant, e-fabric, parallel, e-elegant, fabric, and their salesranks averaged 8515.2.
On 14 August the five most popular stringy books were elegant, e-fabric, parallel, fabric, e-elegant, and their salesranks averaged 8010.6.
On 15 August the string top five were elegant, fabric parallel, e-fabric, e-elegant.
On 16 August the string top five were fabric, elegant, e-fabric, parallel, hyperspace.
On 17 August the string top five (elegant, e-fabric, hyperspace, fabric, parallel) ranked 5256, 10315, 10960, 15872, 27130, for an average of 13906.6.

Code: 
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606

marcus said:
...Here are the midmonth average salesrank readings that I've recorded over the past years. Normally noon readings on the 14, 15, 16th of any given month. I might start averaging 5 readings: like 13, 14, 15, 16, 17th. The idea is to record the average salesrank of the five most popular stringy books. When I started checking this number was typically around 3000-4000. Now, with declining interest and popularity, it tends to be higher (although events like a science fair or publicity surrounding a new TV series on the Universe can bring it down around 5000-6000 from time to time.)...
 
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  • #165
Here are links to Spires "top-50" listings of the most-cited high-energy physics papers
for 2008:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2008/annual.shtml
for 2009:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml

What I've been watching here is how many of the top 50 papers are recent string---recent in the sense of having appeared in the past five years, counting back from the year in question. For the year 2008, it would be 2004-2008.
In the early 2000s it would typically happen that around twelve out of the top fifty would be recent string papers. And the rankings of those twelve would often be near the top of the 50 list.
In 2008 four of the fifty top-cited HEP papers were recent string. And the four recent string papers that made the top 50 list had average citecount around 180, which put them down near the bottom of the list. Their ranks in the top 50 were 37, 44, 48, 49.
In 2009 one of the top-cited HEP fifty, was a recent string paper. And it was number 33.

Details were given in this post:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=372499
=====================String publication for the first seven months of successive years:
Here are some figures for the first seven months:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 22 August: 3334, 3338, 3293, 2627 (preliminary, July is still not all catalogued.)Noon salesrank averages of string top five. Quite a bit of fluctuation lately, which may have to do with a new popular-audience book by Hawking scheduled to go on sale in a couple of weeks. Should raise public excitement regarding theories of the universe and related matters.

19 August 11443.0
20 August 11506.2
21 August 9355.6
22 August 6952.0
23 August 10516.2

The top five always seem to be from this list of six: fabric, e-fabric, elegant, e-elegant, parallel, hyperspace. For instance at noon 23 August the five most popular string were elegant, fabric, e-elegant, e-fabric, parallel, with respective ranks 6044, 6876, 11400, 13899, 14362 giving the average sbown here of 10516.2.
 
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  • #166
String publication for the first seven months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 25 August: 3334, 3338, 3304, 2743 (July may still not be all catalogued.)

marcus said:
Noon salesrank averages of string top five. Quite a bit of fluctuation lately, which may have to do with a new popular-audience book by Hawking scheduled to go on sale in a couple of weeks. Should raise public excitement regarding theories of the universe and related matters.

19 August 11443.0
20 August 11506.2
21 August 9355.6
22 August 6952.0
23 August 10516.2

The top five always seem to be from this list of six: fabric, e-fabric, elegant, e-elegant, parallel, hyperspace. For instance at noon 23 August the five most popular string were elegant, fabric, e-elegant, e-fabric, parallel, with respective ranks 6044, 6876, 11400, 13899, 14362 giving the average shown here of 10516.2.

Though I have not yet seen much about the new Hawking book "Grand Design", I'm going to start provisionally counting it as stringy. According to some reports, it promotes the vision of M-theory as TOE. The book goes on sale 7 September, will presumably sell well, and will help improve the string topfive average (reducing the unusually large salesrank numbers seen of late).

So probably for a while the day's top five string books will tend to be drawn from this list of seven: grand, fabric, elegant, parallel, hyperspace, e-fabric, e-elegant.

A new Roger Penrose book is also due out in September, but since the book will not be in any sense stringy it will not affect our keeping track of this index of reader interest.

Just now (25 Aug) when I looked the top five (grand, fabric, elegant, parallel, hyperspace) ranked 2331, 6455, 9528, 17898, 19624 for an average of 11167.2
Checking again, at noon 26 August, grand, parallel, elegant, fabric, e-fabric ranked 373, 9768, 10368, 10404, 15695 for an average of 9321.6.
If the Hawking book turns out on balance NOT to be stringy (a judgment call) that would make the average string saleranks quite a bit larger.
 
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  • #167
It's been two weeks since I posted LQG research publication data, so I'll update:
This annual Loop gravity publication index uses the Spires base with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 96 (as of 1 September)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

So far despite a wave of orders for the new Hawking book (which pending review I will assume is stringy) the string topfive salesrank is still around twice what it was as recently as 2 years ago---suggesting a drop-off of interest. Some spot checks at noon on several days:

30 August 8040.2
31 August 9765.8
1 September 9615.2
2 September 9954.8

At noon on 1 September the five most popular string books (grand, elegant, parallel, fabric, e-fabric) ranked 659, 7540, 11299, 12111, 16467, for an average of 9615.2
At noon on 2 September the five most popular string books (grand, elegant, parallel, e-fabric, e-eleganty) ranked 9, 4249, 7533, 16321, 21662, for an average of 9954.8

To put this in perspective here are mid-month averages I happened to record in previous years, as well as some in 2010:
Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(when possible, recorded at noon on the 14th 15th, and 16th of each month)
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606

String research publication for the first 6 months of successive years still shows the curious sharp drop we saw earlier.
The source is Harvard abstracts database using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic.

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 1 September, the numbers through June appear stable and are 3002, 2968, 2987, 2436.
 
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  • #168
The whole string book market has been changed by a crop of new books that all seem likely to become very popular:

Shing-Tung Yau "The Shape of Inner Space" https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465020232/?tag=pfamazon01-20 Officially goes on sale 7 September 2010

John Gribbin's book "In Search of the Multiverse" https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470613521/?tag=pfamazon01-20 A new edition appeared 24 August 2010.

Hawking's book "The Grand Design" Officially goes on sale 7 September 2010.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553805371/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Advance orders have made it #1 book at Amazon.

Brian Greene's new title is scheduled to appear in January 2011 "The Hidden Reality--Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307265633/?tag=pfamazon01-20
 
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  • #169
Pop-string is suddenly huge!
The average salesrank of the five most popular string books has never been lower, as far back as I can remember. Here are some noon readings, 6 September

grand 2
abridged audio grand 1134
yau 1269
elegant 1944
multiverse 2005

That makes the topfive average 1270.8
I've been used to seeing numbers like 4000 (a couple of years ago) and 8000 (recently). So a topfive average salesrank of 1000 indicates unusually strong sales.

As far as I can see the huge public appetite is for books about the universe claiming to explain why it exists or how it came about, and more specifically multiverse books. And these multiverse books (all except the new Roger Penrose book) tend to devote a chapter or so to String Landscape and M-theory. At least I think they all do. I haven't seen Hawking's. So I count them as stringy even if that's not the main focus.

The titles to look out for, if you follow this new craze, are
Grand Design (Hawking Mlodinow)
Shape of Inner (Yau)
Search for Multiverse (Gribbin)
and eventually Hidden Reality (Greene) but that is not yet ready for sale.
 
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  • #170
The other indices I've been watching are essentially unchanged since the last update, so if curious just scroll back a few posts. What has changed remarkably is the pop-sci book market.

I am calling the new Hawking Mlodinow a "string" book because it promotes the idea that there is an "M-theory" (so far the actual theory is missing but perhaps someday it will be formulated) and that this theory describes a huge landscape of possible versions of physics and the book also promotes the unsubstantiated idea that a multitude of universes exist exhibiting all these versions of physics.

This "Multiverse" idea conveniently hides the string theoreticians' failure to explain the universe that we actually see--to offer a unified coherent and predictive theory of the world nature gives us. It elevates string/M to an imaginary throne: the "Law Governing the Multiverse".

So even though the book has little concrete to say about string theory and deals with (so far nonexistent) M in only the vaguest terms, because of its M/multiverse message I count the current Hawking as stringy. Because of its popularity the index we are watching--the average salesrank of the five currently most popular string books--has improved enormously. It is now down around 1000 and has been so for several days. I will record whatever it is at mid-month. Here is a spot check indicating what to expect:

At noon 10 September the topfive stringy books (grand, e-grand, Yau, Gribbin, audio-grand) ranked 2, 290, 1529, 1734, 1898, for an average of 1090.6. Parenthetically here, by Yau I refer to the "Shape of Inner Space" book, and by Gribbin I mean his "In Search of the Multiverse". Besides the conventional format edition of "The Grand Design", there is an electronic edition and an abridged audio edition--as you can see, all three are doing well.

To put the 10 September number in perspective I will show it with some mid-month averages recorded previously:
Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(when possible, recorded at noon on the 14th 15th, and 16th of each month)
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606

Spot check for comparison
10 September      1091

String research publication for the first 6 months of successive years still shows the curious sharp drop we saw earlier.
The source is Harvard abstracts database using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, AdS/CFT, compactification, heterotic.

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

As of 10 September, the numbers through June are 3003, 2975, 3013, 2475.
 
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  • #171
Popular string book market completely changed.
For most of the past 4 years the string top five, the list of five most popular string books, has been dominated by Greene and Kaku, always the same four books. At noon today 14 September it was Hawking and Yau. Grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-Grand, elegant ranked 2, 81, 812, 1584, 1844 for an average of 864.6

=====================

String publication for the first seven months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July figures as of 14 September: 3335, 3345, 3331, 2815
 
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  • #172
The string topfive midmonth average salesrank is in for September.
Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(when possible, recorded at noon on the 14th 15th, and 16th of each month)
January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060

This is a huge jump in popularity associated with the Hawking book that just came out. I don't think "Grand Design" actually teaches much about string, but I count it as stringy because it promotes "M-theory" as the law of the imagined "Multiverse". All the different solutions of M-theory correspond to different versions of physics and (assumed to exist) different universes.
It seems to me this is very stringy thinking and the book should be counted.

All 3 of its editions ( regular hardcover, audio*, and e-book) came out simultaneously, the beginning of this month, and all three are making the stringy topfive.

Today when I checked the top five (grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked
3, 32, 1145, 1318, 2769 for an average of 1053.4

The same number computed on three consecutive days at mid-month:

14 Sept 864.6
15 Sept 1260.8
16 Sept 1053.4

gave a mid-September average of 1059.6, which I have recorded above.

*earlier notices said the audio version was abridged---now I see it described as unabridged.
=====================

Just out of curiosity (although not needed for the mid-month record) I checked again on 17th. At noon the string topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked 3, 29, 1125, 1965, 2757 for an average of 1175.8.
 
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  • #173
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 27 September:
3686, 3726, 3706, 3087

===========================

In the popular book market, at noon on 27 September the top five string books (e-grand, grand, Yau, audio-grand, elegant) ranked 10, 10, 1006, 2249, 3201, for an average of 1295.2

===========================The annual Loop gravity publication index that I'm tracking uses the Spires database with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 98 (as of 27 September)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #174
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using
keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 27 September:
3686, 3726, 3707, 3462

===========================

In the popular book market, at noon on 29 September the top five string books (e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 14, 14, 1321, 3122, 4278, for an average of 1749.8

===========================The annual Loop gravity publication index that I'm tracking uses the Spires database with DESY keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 102 (as of 29 September)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #175
Time to do a midmonth review of the popular book market to see how pop-string books are doing. Counting Hawking *Grand Design* as a string book because of its favorable mention of M-theory, though it may not teach anything very definite about the subject.

I recorded the average salesrank of the string top five---the five most popular stringy books as of noon on the day in question.

13 October 1332.4
14 October 1278.4
15 October 1544.4
16 October 1438.8
17 October ...

As an example, at noon on 15 October the top five (e-grand, grand, Yau, hyperspace, parallel) ranked 33,33, 965, 2565, 4126, for an average of 1544.4.

EDIT: At noon 16 Oct, the top five average was 1438.8.
 
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  • #176
The average salesrank of the string top five---the five most popular stringy books as of noon on the day in question. For example, at noon on 15 October the top five (e-grand, grand, Yau, hyperspace, parallel) ranked 33,33, 965, 2565, 4126, for an average of 1544.4.

13 October 1332.4
14 October 1278.4
15 October 1544.4
16 October 1438.8
17 October 1125.8

The resulting 5-day average for mid-October is 1344.0, extends the following record:

Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344

===================
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 17 October:
3686, 3726, 3713, 3475

===========================

A yearly Loop gravity publication index[/B] that uses Spires database with keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 111 (as of 17 October)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (still incomplete,of course):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE= [/QUOTE]
 
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  • #177
Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344

I made a spot check on 22 October and it was: topfive (e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, fabric) ranked 53, 53, 1608, 2986, 4506 for an average of 1841.2--up some from mid September and mid October. So it may be that Hawking Shock caused a temporary run that will subside.

===================
String publication for the first eight months of successive years, using keywords: superstring, M-theory, brane, compactification, heterotic, AdS/CFT

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August figures as of 22 October:
3686, 3728, 3737, 3492

===========================

A yearly Loop gravity publication index[/B] that uses Spires database with keywords "spin, foam", "field theory, group", "quantum gravity, loop space", and "quantum cosmology, loop space".

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 113 (as of 22 October)

Link for 2008 Loop research papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2008&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2009 Loop papers:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2009&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

Link for 2010 (about 1/5 of year still to go):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #178
A spot check on the indices.

Popular string topfive average salesrank was 2109.6---e-grand, grand, Yau, elegant, e-fabric ranked 61, 61, 1560, 4091, 4775.

String publication index for January-August was 3488, a slight correction.

Loop publication for 2010 (as of 27 October) was 117.
=======================

I'll get the links ready for string publication through the first 9 months of successive years.2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 27 October:
4053, 4087, 4158, 3814
 
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  • #179
It's been a week, so I'll do another spot check on the indices.

Popular string topfive average salesrank was 1642.2---grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, fabric ranked 61, 61, 1858, 2775, 3956
=============

String publication index for the first 9 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 3 November:
4053, 4087, 4158, 3812
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 121 (as of 3 November)
 
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  • #180
Over a week, time for another spot check.

As of noon 13 November popular string topfive average salesrank was 2551.4---grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, parallel ranked 52, 214, 1390, 5312, 5789
=============

String publication index for the first 9 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Jan+Feb+March+April+May+June+July+August+September figures as of 13 November:
4053, 4088, 4151, 3837
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 126 (as of 13 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #181
For the November midmonth salesrank average

13 Nov 2551.4
14 Nov 2304.6
15 Nov 2345.0
16 Nov ...
17 Nov ...

To illustrate, at noon on 15 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 64, 260, 1828, 4324, 5249, for an average of 2345.0

The past history of the midmonth averages has gone like this:

Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     ...

What we are seeing starting in September 2010 is the effect of the Hawking blockbuster, combined to a lesser extent with the popularity of Yau's new book.
 
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  • #182
The November midmonth string salesrank average (over 5 days) was 2220.0

13 Nov 2551.4
14 Nov 2304.6
15 Nov 2345.0
16 Nov 2052.8
17 Nov 1846.2

To illustrate, at noon on 15 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 64, 260, 1828, 4324, 5249, for an average of 2345.0
and at noon on 17 November the stringy topfive (grand, e-grand, Yau, e-elegant, elegant) ranked 69, 182, 2689, 3091, 3200, for an average of 1846.2

Whenever I've happened to record them in the past, the midmonth averages have gone like this:

Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220

Starting in September 2010 we see the effect of the Hawking blockbuster, which is primarily a *multiverse* book rather than an especially stringy one---but can be counted as string-pop because of touting M-theory as an overarching law governing the multitudinous versions of physics. This will soon be followed by the arrival of Brian Greene's new book "The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos..." in January 2011.
 
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  • #183
String publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 22 November: 4529, 4506, 4512, 4187
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 129 (as of 22 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #184
Not much change since mid-month in the indices. On the popular book front, the stringy top five on 27 November (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, fabric) ranked 76, 326, 3314, 3625, 4663, for an average of 2400.8. Recall that the mid-month average for November was 2220. I'll update the Loop publication index for the year--which seems likely to turn out more or less the same as 2008-2009

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 135 (as of 27 November)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

The string publication figure for the first 10 months of 2010, defined earlier, is still at 4187 (may still increase some with late entries.)
 
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  • #185
Curious blip in the popular physics book market.
Today at noon Bojo's Loop cosmology book ranked 3255 among all amazon books:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307272850/?tag=pfamazon01-20

On the specifically physics bestseller list it was #12, behind Hawking but ahead of Greene (elegant, #14) and Yau (#15) and Kaku (parallel, #17). Seems some people read Brian Clegg's review in the WSJ.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704104104575622591025130892.html#printMode

Later today the book ranked 2250 (at 2PM) and then subsided to 2410.
It was #2 on the cosmology bestsellers list. (After Hawking's latest.)

Now (7PM pacific time) it's #1855 among all the books amazon sells. Respectable showing!
 
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  • #186
Update on the string publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 2 December: 4512, 4504, 4512, 4229
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 146
2010 140 (as of 2 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

================

A spot check of the popular book market at noon pacific, 2 December. Bojowald's Loop cosmology book ranked #4469.
The string topfive average rank was #3119.4,
those of the five most popular (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, hidden reality) being 91, 1965, 3919, 4749, 4873.
 
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  • #187
Update on the string publication index for the first 10 months of consecutive years:

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+September+October figures as of 2 December: 4514, 4573, 4513, 4233
===============

Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 141 (as of 8 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

================

A spot check of the popular book market at noon pacific, 8 December.
The average string topfive rank was #2627.4,
those of the five most popular (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, hyperspace) being 104, 870, 2778, 3002, 6383

================
String publication figures for first 11 months of successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+October+November figures as of 8 December: 4942, 4930, 4921, 4484 (preliminary)
===============
 
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  • #188
As a gauge of popular interest in string I've been recording midmonth averages of the salesranks of the current five most popular string books. The readings are normally taken at noon Pacific time or as close thereto as I can conveniently manage. In the months when I've recorded them, midmonth averages have gone like this:

Code: 
Midmonth average of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220

Starting in September 2010 we see the effect of the Hawking's Grand Design, which can be counted as string-pop because it suggests M-theory (if and when finally formulated) could turn out to be an overarching law governing a multitude of versions of physics actually realized in a "multiverse".

This month the plan is to record 5 days around the 15th.

13 Dec 2787.0
14 Dec ...
15 Dec ...
16 Dec ...
17 Dec ...

At noon 13 December the top five string books (grand, e-grand, Yau, elegant, hyperspace) ranked 98, 1628, 3617, 3975, 4617, for an average of 2787.0
================
String research publication figures for first 11 months of successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+October+November figures as of 13 December: 4952, 4965, 4953, 4667 (preliminary)
===============
 
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  • #189
Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 146 (as of 14 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

13 Dec 2787.0
14 Dec 2757.2
15 Dec ...
16 Dec ...
17 Dec ...

At noon 14 December the top five string books (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, hyperspace) ranked 108, 1353, 3065, 4201, 5059, for an average of 2757.2
 
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  • #190
Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 147 (as of 16 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

===========================

Popular market for stringy books, mid-December noon readings
13 Dec 2787.0
14 Dec 2757.2
15 Dec 2791.2
16 Dec 2692.8
17 Dec ...

At noon 15 December the top five string books (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, parallel) ranked 113, 1711, 3475, 3844, 4813, for an average of 2791.2

At noon 16 December the top five string books (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, parallel) ranked 121, 1503, 2821, 3768, 5251, for an average of 2692.8
Code: 
Midmonth salesrank averages of string topfive
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220
December 2010    2700 (estim.)
January 2011      ...

================
String research publication figures for successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic, as of 16 December: 5494, 5450, 5507, 5018 (preliminary, will increase)
===============
 
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  • #191
At noon 17 December the top five string books (grand, e-grand, elegant, Yau, parallel) ranked 107, 1588, 2435, 3686, 4665 for an average of 2496.2

mid-December noon readings
13 Dec 2787.0
14 Dec 2757.2
15 Dec 2791.2
16 Dec 2692.8
17 Dec 2496.2

Midmonth average: 2704.9


Code: 
Midmonth averages of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220
December 2010    2705
January 2011      ...
 
  • #192
Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 40
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 148 (as of 21 December)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

===========================


String research publication figures for successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic, as of 21 December: 5494, 5450, 5508, 5032 (preliminary, will increase)

String research publication figures for first 11 months of successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+October+November figures as of 21 December: 4952, 4965, 4953, 4669
 
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  • #193
Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 152 (as of 4 Jan 2011)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

===========================
String research publication figures for first 11 months of successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic.
Jan+...+October+November figures as of 4 Jan 2011: 4990, 4973, 5144, 4971
 
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  • #194
Loop publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 154 (as of 6 Jan 2011)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=

===========================

String research publication figures for successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic, as of 6 Jan: 5533, 5460, 5699, 5415 (preliminary, will increase)
========================

Around the beginning of the year, sometime in Jan or Feb usually, Spires posts the "top 50" High Energy Physics papers. The 50 papers most cited during the past year.
Here is a reference to the 2009 list, giving some links:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=2580491#post2580491

Here is the 2010 top 50 list (except it has now been enlarged to show the top 100 papers):
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2010/annual.shtml

It's interesting to see what recent papers get highly cited, recent being from the past 5 years, to gauge the value of current research.

In the early Naughties (e.g. 2001-2003) it was common for 10 or more recent string papers to make it into the top 50 list. There was a lot of interest and a lot of cite-worthy papers were being written. In 2009 only one recent paper made it. In 2010 no recent string paper made it into the top 50.

Spires has adopted a new practice and starting this year it extended the list to show the "top-100". There was one recent string in the top 100. #62, which got 146 cites in 2010. In case anyone is curious that paper was http://arxiv.org/abs/0806.1218

=======================
In the popular market, stringy books are doing well, if you count Hawking's new one as stringy because of its plug for M-theory as possible "theory of everything". At noon on 6 January the topfive stringy books (e-grand, grand, hidden, elegant, e-elegant) ranked 175, 175, 2147, 2279, 3415, for an average of 1638.2.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #195
At noon 15 January the top five string books (e-grand, hidden, grand, e-elegant, Yau) ranked 186, 186, 255, 1890, 3072 for an average of 1117.8

The mid-January average (14-16th) was 1252.2

Code: 
Midmonth averages of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220
December 2010    2705
January 2011     1252

We are witnessing an enormous popularity of multiverse books. In September, just a few months ago, it was "The Grand Design" and now it is "The Hidden Reality", which is basically about the various different multiverse notions (as one sees by looking down the TOC). These books are not primarily string, although they invoke "landscape" (the vast variety of different versions of physics resulting from different ways of wrapping up the "extra dimensions".) Lack of determinacy in the pre-eminent theory suggests somehow that nature should actually realize each of the mathematical possibilities---separate regions governed by each theoretically possible set of laws. Lack of a principle of selection encourages belief in existence of a multiverse. Plus the idea appeals to popular imagination.

================Loop research publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 156 (as of 16 Jan 2011)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE=
 
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  • #196
Loop research publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 157 (as of 21 Jan 2011)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE= String research publication figures for successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic: 5533, 5462, 5699, 5412 (as of 21 Jan)

Spires top cited articles during some past years
(with number of recent string papers making the top fifty)

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2001/annual.shtml (twelve)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2003/annual.shtml (six)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2005/annual.shtml (two)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2007/annual.shtml (one)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml (one)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2010/annual.shtml (zero)

Papers are counted as recent if they appeared during the past five years. In 2009 one of the fifty top-cited papers was recent string (recent being 2005-2009). It was number 33.
In 2001 twelve of the fifty were recent string (recent being 1997-2001). Their ranks were 2,3,4,5,6,13,14,17,22,39,49, and 50.
 
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  • #197
Significant changes in the 2010 numbers so I will update the previous post:

Loop research publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 159 (as of 28 Jan 2011)

2010 search:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?rawcmd=FIND+K+SPIN%2CFOAM+OR+DK+FIELD+THEORY%2C+GROUP+OR+DK+QUANTUM+GRAVITY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+OR+QUANTUM+COSMOLOGY%2C+LOOP+SPACE+AND+DATE+%3D+2010&FORMAT=www&SEQUENCE= String research publication figures for successive years

2007: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2008: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2009: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

2010: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/n...txt_wgt=YES&ttl_sco=YES&txt_sco=YES&version=1

Harvard Abstracts, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic: 5534, 5462, 5704, 5542 (as of 28 Jan)

Spires top cited articles during some past years
(with number of recent string papers making the top fifty)

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2001/annual.shtml (twelve)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2003/annual.shtml (six)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2005/annual.shtml (two)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2007/annual.shtml (one)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2009/annual.shtml (one)
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/topcites/2010/annual.shtml (zero)

Papers are counted as recent if they appeared during the past five years. In 2009 one of the fifty top-cited papers was recent string (recent being 2005-2009). It was number 33.
In 2001 twelve of the fifty were recent string (recent being 1997-2001). Their ranks were 2,3,4,5,6,13,14,17,22,39,49, and 50.
 
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  • #198
A huge pop-multiverse book buying frenzy. At noon, Brian Greene's new book is #15 at amazon. The new Hawking hardback is #331.

BG's "Hidden Reality" and SH "Grand Design" are multiverse books, not proper string books.
The idea that there could be a law of the universe that instead of having a single solution has multiple solutions and that therefore there must be multiple universes.

Scientists didn't use to make that jump. If they had a law or math model with adjustable parameters they would say let's adjust the constants so we get the right solution, the one that fits the data*. They wouldn't start fantasizing about there being a different universe for every possible set of parameters.

At any rate I count these multiverse books as string books and have been keeping track of the average salesrank of whatever are the 5 most popular string books that day.

We just have to guess the salesranks of e-books by their positions on the physics bestseller list, because amazon ranks kindle separately, so today my estimate is the noon topfive average is about 190

15, 15, 300, 300, 331

The top five were e-hidden, hidden, e-elegant, e-grand, grand

*the simple model-fitting plan breaks down when your theory fails to have a tractable set of parameters to make systematic adjustments on.
 
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  • #199
As noted earlier the pop string topfive average is dominated by new multiverse books by Greene and Hawking. I record an average of noon salesrank readings around the middle of the month.

14 February 195
15 February 174

At noon on the 15th the five most popular string books were hidden, e-hidden, e-grand, e-elegant, grand. The electronic "kindle" books have taken over a large share of the pop physics book market.
 
  • #200
The 16 February noon reading was 301. So I'll average 3 days and call it the mid-February topfive stringy salesrank average. (195+174+301)/3 = 223
Code: 
Midmonth averages of string topfive salesranks
(recorded at noon on several days around the 15th of each month)

January2007:     4396
February2007:    3789
November2008:    3711
July2009:        6485  
March2010:       7521
April2010:      11983
May2010:         6884
June2010:        9731
July2010:        8461
August2010:      9606
September2010:   1060 
October2010:     1344
November2010     2220
December 2010    2705
January 2011     1252
February 2011    223

We are witnessing an enormous wave of popularity of multiverse books. It started in September with "The Grand Design" and has now risen further with "The Hidden Reality".

At noon on 16 Feb the five most popular string books were hidden, e-hidden, grand, e-elegant, and e-grand.
 

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