The discussion centers on Hermann Nicolai's overview piece in the 18 October 2007 issue of Nature, titled "String theory: Back to basics." Nicolai, a prominent figure in string theory and Director of the Unified Theories wing at the Albert Einstein Institute, argues that string theory may finally provide insights into the interactions of particles under the strong nuclear force. The conversation highlights the significance of the AdS/QCD correspondence and the potential for string theory to bridge gaps in understanding quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Participants express a desire for access to Nicolai's insights and debate the implications of his work on the future of theoretical physics.
PREREQUISITESThe discussion is beneficial for theoretical physicists, researchers in particle physics, and students interested in advanced concepts of string theory and quantum field theory.
The pun is told by David Gross, who once was told "you don't look Chewish" or something so. http://impunv.blogspot.com/ also uses the word, as in "are you a member of the Chewish religion".marcus said:I wonder why I never heard that pun until now about S-matrix being Chewish physics,
marcus said:Aaarghh!
Of course string theory has nothing to with science, nor is it meant to. It is purely a religion (and like a religion ignores what experiment --- reality --- requires). Replacing science by religion is not unusual in physics. A half century ago, for example, there was much excitement about ideas extended from dispersion relations, involving smoothness of surfaces. Its center was at Berkeley and its leader was Geoffrey Chew. There was so much excitement that people at Berkeley asked each other "are you a member of the Chewish religion?". That idea had no real rationale and was wrong but was not crackpot.