Has String Theory's Mistakes Led to Advancements in Physics and Mathematics?

[Beer w/Straw]

... due to whatever. What has the effort provided besides showing that the universe doesn't work a certain way? Assuming it has aided in other areas of physics and mathematics. Any examples?

Thanks.

 

[phinds]

... due to whatever. What has the effort provided besides showing that the universe doesn't work a certain way? Assuming it has aided in other areas of physics and mathematics. Any examples?

Thanks.

I'll have to leave it to others to provide details but it is my understanding that "Assuming it has aided in other areas of physics and mathematics" is not an assumption for math, it is a fact that string theory has advanced study/knowledge in some areas of math.

 

[mfb]

Methods developed in string theory can be used to calculate processes in the Standard Model, for example.

 

[PAllen]

Adding to mfb, here is a nice write up on this result of string theory research. It appears the LHC research program would be far less successful without this development:

http://profmattstrassler.com/2012/08/15/from-string-theory-to-the-large-hadron-collider/

 

[atyy]

If string theory were experimentally falsified, that would be a huge contribution of string theory!

 

[martinbn]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monstrous_moonshine

A no ghost theorem from string theory is used.

 

[martinbn]

If string theory were experimentally falsified, that would be a huge contribution of string theory!

Contribution to what? I'd say this would be a huge achievement of experimental physics.

 

[atyy]

Contribution to what? I'd say this would be a huge achievement of experimental physics.

I imagine the role of the theorist as finding out the space of possible theories consistent with previous data, and suggesting ways of ruling out regions of that space. I think finding out possible theories that may turn out to be wrong is an important part of theory.

 

[martinbn]

I imagine the role of the theorist as finding out the space of possible theories consistent with previous data, and suggesting ways of ruling out regions of that space. I think finding out possible theories that may turn out to be wrong is an important part of theory.

That was specifically excluded. He asked about other contributions.

 

[audioloop]

http://www.bourbaphy.fr/dijkgraaf.pdf

 

[Beer w/Straw]

http://www.bourbaphy.fr/dijkgraaf.pdf

When it references a university, is it a very critical peer review?

 

[PAllen]

When it references a university, is it a very critical peer review?

It's a review. So far as I know, its content is non-controversial. That is, string theory skeptics such as Penrose or Smolin would not dispute any significant aspect of this review (of mathematical contributions of the string theory program).

 

[Beer w/Straw]

Ed Witten got the Fields medal, that would be an example.

So I guess I answered my own question, but it would be cool if there were more.

 

[martinbn]

Why doesn't my answer qualify?

 

[Beer w/Straw]

Why doesn't my answer qualify?

Monstrous moonshine and no-ghost theorem are two different wiki pages.

It was awkward.