String theory Definition and 782 Threads

String theory is touted as bridging the gap between general relativity and quantum mechanics, so I'm presuming it can explain everything in QM. How does string theory explain the results of the two slit experiment and the delayed-choice experiment? (pop science reader's answer, if...

Hi! Today I was reading this article in SciAm on a model that some string theorists were working on that had to do with the cosmic origin; it talked about how strings, when compressed - when losing energy - will only decrease in length to the Planck length, and its energy level would rebound as...

How would you go about building a string theory model? I expect it would be quite complex but any ideas of possible models?

Please forgive me if this question has been posted before, but I was wondering if anyone could provide a semi-detailed and sequential mathematical syllabus that, once mastered, would allow one to follow development of string theory. So, assuming basic undergraduate mathematics such as real...

I am working on a science fiction story, and as part of the story I need some technobabble related to superstrings. The fantasy technology involved does not have to be in any sense scientifically correct or possible; but for the benefit of readers who might actually know some science, I'd like...

can u tell me something about this string theory? i didn't want to check in google because there are too many sites! anyway, i thought this was the best place to ask for something like this. i'd like some info like - who proposed it?, and things like that...and mainly what it actually...

string theory applied to "world"timeline? Pardon my ignorance, I've been reading several post and studying , to the best of my ability, the string theory(ies). I am retired USAF. I seen several things to which I can not explain. We have had several scientist and non-military scientist...

I've read a lot of things to this effect, that string theory predicts nothing, or that it can't be disproven, and as such, many theorists argue it is doomed. How is this so? Is it because the scales proposed are so incredibly tiny that we can't measure that small, even in the future? Is there...

From the Woit blog: http://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/blog/ The only physicist quoted who recognizes that the Landscape is pseudo-science is David Gross. “It’s impossible to disprove” he says, and notes that because we can’t falsify the idea it’s not science. He sees the origin of this...

When string theorists say that higher dimensions are "too small" or "curled up," what do they mean? Suppose, for instance, that the x dimension was curled up in three dimensions. Could someone draw a picture that? If the x dimension was too tiny to be measured, what would this mean...

Does String Theory Satisfy Einstein's Conditions for a Physical Theory? In his autobiography Einstein said: Before I enter upon a critique of mechanics as a foundation of physics, something of a broadly general nature will first have to be said concerning the points of view...

i'm currently reading Hyperspace by michio kaku and it says that there are 10 dimensions in superstring theory, what are each of the dimensions?

Flying cars from string theory ? :) This is the link to the short story from http://motls.blogspot.com/2005/11/flying-cars-from-string-theory.html" . My comment: LOL ! But the kid seems to have potential...

I'm not talking about Elegant Universe level, but something that would give a nice introduction into string theory and its theories (with math, of course) for beginners would be nice. Any ideas?

I am interested in the 11 dimensions proposed by string theory. What defines these dimensions and have they been identified.

These days the forum and blog spheres are full of harsh criticisms directed at String theory. Indeed, I have been guilty of this behaviour myself. Many of these outbursts have been delivered by people that know absolutely nothing about current thinking in String theory, but are perhaps miffed by...

Interesting post here http://motls.blogspot.com/2005/10/heterotic-mssm.html#comments It seems that a group of researchers has constructed a Calabi-Yau compactification that reproduces that particles of the standard model. The also obtain the SO(10) GUT group, and seem to get rid of some of...

I didn't find an article about this so I'll ask it here: How does the quantum mechanical wave function of a particle arise in ST? Sorry if it has been asked before, but I couldn't find a topic about it.

Just for survey.:smile:

On Tom's advice, I'll be posting the content of my new blog in an ongoing thread here. It follows my final year of my Master's degree, in which I'll be writing my thesis in String Theory. You can comment on and read the blog at http://stringschool.blogspot.com This is where it all...

Hey, I wanted to ask you guys a few questions about string theory. It seems like a really neat area, but is over my head. These questions are based on stuff I've gleaned from reading the "beginner" section popular websites: (0) Why study string theory? ----- (1) Is string theory (still)...

What is it ? Is it an excitation of a string in an extra dimension causing an effect of particle and wave nature in our universe ? What also it it's definition in LQG or CDT ? :confused:

What is string theory? And how come is the string theory? Sorry, the quantum theory is not my strengh. Is there anyone can telling me? But I heard some peoples saying that string theory world is not as same as actual life.

So, what is it? Math assumes non-dimensional points on a number line are separated. But assumes the points have no distance between them. If a point has 0 length on a number line and it is 0 distance from the point beside it, they are the same point. You cannot create a number line...

So, what is it? Math assumes non-dimensional points on a number line are separated. But assumes the points have no distance between them. If a point has 0 length on a number line, and it is 0 distance from the point beside it, they are the same point. You cannot create a number line...

In the string theory equations and such. Are the concepts of how time slows way down near black holes and at very fast speeds still valid? Like I've studied the equations and such and know about the scenarios of how they would precieve and such. Infact I'm watching a Stargate episode how...

so I'm just looking for some advice here. i just graduated from a liberal arts college with a BA in physics. i did a thesis on type IIA string theory [supergravity really] and i was just wondering what any of you know about grad schools... which ones are good? how does it look that I'm taking a...

Uh oh, I've started to "believe" in string theory... What do I do?? It was a supremely addictive feeling. I don't know how to describe it. One minute I was studying the relationships between fundamental particles and another I all of a sudden found myself wishing they were all just bits of...

Could Someone Please Explain Exactly What String Theory and LQG Are Trying To Do? I have recently had the opportunity to ask this question to a couple prominent physicists, and they could not answer it. What is the purpsoe of these theories? What do they explain that is not explained by...

It appears that string theory is very dependent upon mathematics; pure mathematics at that. I understand that Kurt Gödel, in the early 1930s, with little opposition during his lifetime, argued that mathematics could not be proven because “one” could not be proven. If such is the case, then...

"But, even if it is completely wrong, basically no theory is a waste of time, as long as it is well developed and researched." The problem is that it is not well developed and researched. As said by Nobel laureate P. Anderson this year, string theory is a futile exercise as physics. "A lot...

By reading through some of these threads, it seems many of you here don't think string theory is the best approach. Is this merely a personal preference amoung many of the knowledgeable posters here, or have there been some recent problems with string theory, or have there just not been as many...

Does string theory provide an explanation for the collapse of the wave function in QM? Thank you in advance for your comments.

I've got a basic idea of string theory but if anyone can give me a sort of overview i'd be grateful thanx :cool:

Sorry I'm a major :confused: in physics. But my horrible teacher set us a essay explaining the string theory. So could someone try and explain it simply?

Hi string group, I'm a new member. In a few months I'll have completed my final exams and can finally start to write my diploma thesis (german diploma) in theoretical physics and mathematics. Naturally I'm a novice in the subject, having only very superficial basic knowledge from a...

I was asking if we have some simple proof of the existence of the string in the String Theory and other matters as prepared on this website: http://www.geocities.com/certvolunteer/physics/index.html Chris Walters chrissaidthanks2002@yahoo.com

Hey, does anybody know what the string theory tries to prove at singularities of black holes and the expansion of our universe?

Hello people I have just acquired Zwiebach's "A first course in string theory". I am actually very busy with honours (4th year) coursework and research, so I cannot really get down to reading substantial chunks of it whenever I want to. :mad: Apparently, it covers (and maybe extends) the MIT...

I am sure that everyone here is familiar with the story of Gabriel Veneziano's initial push into string theory by noticing Euler's beta function in a math book. Does anyone happen to know what the book was?

Firstly, I'm new here. I looked around a bit to see if there was another thread about String Theory. Didn't see any so I said what the hey. I certainly hope that this subject hasn't been beatin to death. I'm not a physicist, nor am I overly educated. But I like to think that I understand...

just out, in case anyone is interested http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0504221 Baby Universes in String Theory Robbert Dijkgraaf, Rajesh Gopakumar, Hirosi Ooguri, Cumrun Vafa 39 pages, 7 figures "We argue that the holographic description of four-dimensional BPS black holes naturally includes...

I read in Elegant Universe there is a 5th force predicted by the string theory. Anybody know what it is ?

Regarding "The Elegant Universe", page 48-50: Relativity says that all objects have a velocity of c. For most objects most of this velocity is in the time dimension. For light, none of this velocity is in the time dimension but one of the other 3 (x,y,z). For an object to give all of this...

I've been accepted into University of Michigan, Princeton, and MIT, and I am intent on majoring in physics with a strong emphasis on string theory, as I already have some math background. Anyways... I have a tough choice to make... but first I am making my schedule. I'm stuck on 4th year...

I am currently reading these lecture notes about string theory: http://www.phys.uu.nl/~thooft/lectures/string.html I think that I understand the general idea. After that it's simply applying QFT formalism, which I'm more or less familiar with (or so I thought). But in Chapter 7. - BRST...

Does string theory give any valid predictions? For example could string theory dictate the motion of the planets, or the weather, or gravitatoinal effects or just really anything that is useful. All I ever hear about it string theory showing bizarre things like time in black holes and what not...

http://www.rednova.com/news/space/132303/finding_the_ultimate_theory_of_everything/index.html

I do not know much about string theory, but the fact that it involves 10 or 11 dimensions. I am curious whether this 10 or 11 dimensions of string theory has anything to do with inhomogenous lorentz transformation?. ---- [from Goldstein - section 7-2] In essence a poincare...

A Post that was started because of speeds in space on the bc3000 boards..Im wounder how correct this thought is and if its not, then were the flaw is..(They were talking about the Power req of getting to the speed of light and traveling long distances) Power Probly has less to do with it than...