How do I start string theory research?

[walkinglunchmoney]

TL;DR: I want to study and research string theory but get stuck on the advanced concepts and need help getting started ("explain to me like I'm a golden retriever" type thing)

I have a good grasp on the concepts behind Einstein's relativity, quantum mechanics, and the basics of string theory (multiple dimensions in the form of Calabi-Yau shapes, open/closed strings, etc). I don't understand the math behind them but I'm taking ALG 2 and plan on teaching myself calculus (even if only at the most basic level) this year to start an understanding of the math behind these theories. I want to learn more about string theory and eventually start independent research, but I get stuck on some of the concepts (some of them are talked about so much that it feels like I just missed a step and don't know where to go to figure it out).

For example, while trying to learn about moduli stabilization, the terms "de Sitter space" and "Anti-de Sitter space" kept appearing, and I have no idea what that is and can't find where to learn it (a quick google search doesn't give a good enough understanding and review/research papers don't help because of other concepts/terms that I see and don't understand). Some of these terms appear often enough that it seems like it would be one of the first things you'd learn about string theory, yet I have no idea what they mean (another example is the term "moduli," I understand that it refers to a variable that determines the size and shape of the dimensions but I don't find anything about specific examples of a modulus, how/why they affect size/shape, or anything else about them).

Because of this, I think what I need is a review paper/book that really starts at the beginning but I can't seem to find one like that, or just someone to explain the things I need to get started (I'd think there are some things that you just wouldn't know about unless someone told you, that's been my experience with other things). Basically, are there any good books/review papers I could read that wouldn't be too mathematically demanding and would teach me the concepts needed to go in-depth into the field? If it helps any, I've read Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe" and currently reading Barton Zwiebach's "A First Course in String Theory" (which does not feel like a first course).

Once I have a real foundation on string theory, I'd like to start independent research with it. Recently I have been interested in the multiple dimensions, like I mentioned before specifically with the moduli stabilization problem. I would be open to any research direction in the theory, but that's a start. If there is a better place to start then I'd be willing to change directions, but I just want to know if that is a good research area/what are some of the other areas of research, and what would be a good way of starting it? If it helps any, I have already done a good bit of coding so anything to do with simulations I don't think would be a far reach for me.

Any other advice would be highly appreciated

 

[berkeman]

What is your level of education so far? High school, undergraduate, graduate, etc.? What Math and Physics classes have you taken so far?

 

[Demystifier]

Zwiebach is an excellent start in string theory, but it assumes that you have already learned more basic stuff in physics and math. For physics, start with the theoretical minimum book series by Susskind. For math, learn calculus (as you said you will), linear algebra (vectors and matrices), and some probability theory. There are many books with the title "math for physics" or something like that, so if you learn everything what is written in one such book, you will be more or less mathematically prepared. You need that stuff to start any research in theoretical physics. In string theory you will eventually need much more, but when you learn those basics you will be able to figure by yourself what else you need.

Also, when you get stuck on any question, you can ask AI for assistance. It can provide good explanations of almost anything, if you ask good questions. Among other things, it can recommend books. Or, you can attach a photo of one page from the Zwiebach book, and write "Explain how Zwiebach derived equation (27) from (26)". If you can write equations in LaTeX code (which you need to learn anyway), so that you don't need to attach pictures, even better. But don't take the answers by AI for granted. It makes errors too, and it often tends to say what you want to hear, so if you have misconceptions there is a big chance that AI will accept your misconceptions as truth and adjust its answers accordingly. So be very critical with the use of AI, but if you can be that, it can help a lot.