Sociology of Physics: comment and indices

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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.
  • #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.
 
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  • #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.
 
  • #201
The storm of enthusiasm for pop multiverse books shows no signs of abating. At noon 28 Feb the top five stringy/multi books, e-hidden, hidden, e-grand, e-elegant, grand, ranked an estimated 97, 97, 247, 279, 430 for an average of 230.
This is much the same as it's been all the past month, whenever I've looked.
In the case of Amazon's "kindle" e-books I estimate their equivalent print-book ranks based on the separate kindle ranking provided by Amazon.

To follow trends in professional research literature, I've begun using the German mirror of Stanford Spires. The Stanford homesite has become too slow, and often times out. So here is the mirror:
http://www-library.desy.de/spires/hep/

So for example here is Loop research publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 160 (as of 28 Feb 2011)

2010 search:
http://www-library.desy.de/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=

http://www-library.desy.de/cgi-bin/spiface/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=Keeping track of string research publication, I see no clear trend. Here are figures for four successive years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 using the
Harvard Abstracts search, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic: 5549, 5471, 5734, 5667 (as of 28 Feb)
 
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  • #202
marcus said:
The storm of enthusiasm for multiverse books shows no signs of abating.

What is the world coming to?

/Fredrik
 
  • #203
Hah hah! Well you tell me where it's going, if you see any significance. Lacking evidence I must suppose that multi-dreams are just a temporary fad.

I fear that in the long run authors like Greene and Hawking undermine the respect for science.

Confusion and mistrust build up, after being taken for a ride and disappointed folks will tend to suspect subsequent popularizers of half-baked hucksterism.

AFAICS the only safe path for science in the long run is avoid excesses of speculation and stick staunchly to the rigorous Empiricist tradition. Don't raise unfounded hopes or peddle fantasy to sell books.

I need to keep this DESY database search link, for recent quantum cosmology papers, handy so I'll put it here for the time being:
http://www-library.desy.de/cgi-bin/spiface/find/hep/www?rawcmd=dk+quantum+cosmology+and+date+%3E+2008&FORMAT=WWW&SEQUENCE=citecount%28d%29
 
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  • #204
marcus said:
Hah hah! Well you tell me where it's going, if you see any significance. Lacking evidence I must suppose that multi-dreams are just a temporary fad.

I fear that in the long run authors like Greene and Hawking undermine the respect for science.

Confusion and mistrust build up, after being taken for a ride and disappointed folks will tend to suspect subsequent popularizers of half-baked hucksterism.

I'm associating to the romantic era beeing a reaction to the enlightenment. I'm starting to think that the lack of success or reason with regards to unification and QG maybe have created this "romantic reaction" of mysterious multiverses... when reason fails what do you do? ;)

Worst case we just have to ride it out, and await the next counter reaction. But I feel the counter reaction coming already... it could be the inferencial views that is like a purification of empiricism. I see it as far away from multiverses or ensembles of universes you can come.

I'm not sure what to expect. But the romantic era laste for what was it a century? When did this multiverse stuff get started? then add 100 years... before the train is turning?

Maybe the amplitude is lower these days, but then at least overall humanity is improving.

/Fredrik
 
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  • #205
But remember Fra, the multiverse fad is primarily in the POPULAR market.
I think you are right that at the level of real scientists (when they are not writing pop-slop or trying to grab headlines) the reaction against multivism is already in progress.

There was a great workshop at Princeton IAS trying and condemning multivism already back in 2008 as I recall, or maybe 2009. they even brought Lenny Susskind to it, to be sure he got the message. We hear a lot less about it now than say in 2006.

What we have to take notice of is the wave or fad at popular level. It appeals to people as a viral fantasy.
marcus said:
The storm of enthusiasm for pop multiverse books shows no signs of abating. At noon 28 Feb the top five stringy/multi books, e-hidden, hidden, e-grand, e-elegant, grand, ranked an estimated 97, 97, 247, 279, 430 for an average of 230...

Today the noon average ranking was in the 300s, having stayed a long time in the 200s.
At noon 3 March e-hidden, hidden, e-elegant, e-grand, grand ranked 133, 133, 436, 546, 673 for an average of 348
 
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  • #206
Damn You! I just read this ENTIRE thread and spend over an hour doing it, now I'm behind on my homework... God PhysicsForums ruins me sometimes.

Extremely interesting stuff though, it's good to see that in the scientific community (researchers) there is less interest in string theory, multiverses, etc.

They should be focusing on quantum gravity, REGULAR cosmology, and other empirical fields that can be tested by observations... here, in OUR universe!

Thanks for doing all the amazing work, keep it up... but damn this forum for snatching up at least an hour of my time every day, it's like an addiction.
 
  • #207
Oriako said:
Damn You! I just read this ENTIRE thread and spend over an hour doing it, now I'm behind on my homework... God PhysicsForums ruins me sometimes.

Extremely interesting stuff though, it's good to see that in the scientific community (researchers) there is less interest in string theory, multiverses, etc.

They should be focusing on quantum gravity, REGULAR cosmology, and other empirical fields that can be tested by observations... here, in OUR universe!

Thanks for doing all the amazing work, keep it up... but damn this forum for snatching up at least an hour of my time every day, it's like an addiction.

But this is really not new, nor is it a revelation. If you look at the percentage of members in the various divisions of the APS, you'll see that none of these fields are that big. A lot of people are often surprised when I tell them that the largest percentage of practicing physicists are in the field of condensed matter physics/material science. These are the people responsible for your iPod, iPhone, and other modern electronics.

Physics isn't just a subject dealing with esoteric stuff. The largest percentage of it actually deals with knowledge that has a direct bearing on how we live.

Zz.
 
  • #208
There is a new research literature database in beta version called InSpire. Stanford-SLAC is offering it as an improvement over their old workhorse Spires. I don't know how much work it would be to switch over.
Here is an update on the indices that I've been using until now.

Loop research publication for consecutive years:

2005 41
2006 82
2007 122
2008 141
2009 147
2010 161 (as of 7 March 2011)

2010 search:
http://www-library.desy.de/cgi-bin/spiface/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=In string research publication I see no clear trend. Here are figures for four successive years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 using the Harvard Abstracts search, keywords M-theory, AdS/CFT, superstring, brane, compactification, heterotic: 5549, 5471, 5735, 5669 (as of 7 March)

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

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)

In this tally, papers count as recent if they appeared during the past five years. For instance 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.

In the popular book department, String is enjoying a period of unusually high popularity associated with the appearance of Multiverse books by Hawking and by Greene. Today (7 March) at noon the five most popular books (hidden, e-hidden, e-elegant, grand, and e-grand) ranked 89, 167, 294, 423, 552, for an average of 305. This is better by more than a factor of 10 than has been the case for several years. In the case of e-books these ranks must be estimated from their separate e-book ranks which Amazon provides. Here are some recorded noon averages around the middle of past months for comparison.

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
 
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  • #209
marcus said:
Smolin's most recent book, The Trouble with Physics, seems to be hanging on to a fairly constant market share, relative to the most popular string reading. It could be that interest in both string apologetics and critique is fading.http://www.noithat-fami.net"
In any case at noon on 24 August, Trouble ranked 9831 and the five string books currently most popular (fabric, parallel, black hole, elegant, hyperspace) averaged 7726.2, making the ratio 0.79
Likewise on 25 August the ratio was 0.77. Trouble 13004 and string topfive average 9997.2.
The stringy top five were fabric, elegant, parallel, black hole, idiot guide.

thanks !
 
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  • #210
Hi Sutivnn!

You quoted a very old post, I fear the information is way out of date. But thanks for your comment.
By now Smolin's book has pretty well dropped out of sight. The new fashion in popular physics speculation is Multiverse. There is no popularized critique to take the place of Smolin's book in this new context of Multiversism.

There are books by Greene and by Hawking that are selling fantastically well. I do not recommend reading them, or speculating about Multivism, but I watch to see what science or pop-science the public buys.

Today 10 March at noon the Amazon ranks of the top-five string books (hidden, e-elegant, e-hidden, grand, e-grand) were (estimated in the kindle case) 130, 229, 252, 499, 746, for an average of 371.2

I abbreviate: hidden means Greene's Hidden Reality. e-hidden is the electronic version, e-elegant is the electronic version of Greene's Elegant Universe. grand is Hawking's Grand Design.
 

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