String Theorists Finally Admit Defeat

[nitin]

"String Theorists Finally Admit Defeat"!

Hi all
Just came across this link:
http://www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/blog/archives/000009.html
The page starts with excerpts of an interview of Ed Witten by a NYT reporter named James Glanz. It contains very interesting remarks made by Witten that apparently caused turmoil in string circles across the globe... Can anybody verify the authenticity of this article (it is from the Columbia Uni web news archives) ? Puzzling.. I haven't heard words about this..
Cheers

 

[Tom McCurdy]

woah, that is interesting, I hope that it is not real

witten gives up on string theoy
he created it practically

 

[jcsd]

I advise that anyone reading that article should look at the date at the top first.

 

[sol2]

That posted link is old news, nothing settle yet

 

[arivero]

Typical cultural problem. The Anglo-saxon fool's day, 1st April, corresponds to other countries 28th December, "Dia de los Inocentes".

 

[marcus]

Alejandro, I don't know anything definite but a Quantum Gravity forum might be set up somewhere. Would you be willing to volunteer some time mentoring---it is the 'camp counsellor' role that someone needs to do, if there eventually is such a board

the spanish name is more indirect and amusing than april-fools
but the english name is more explicit

but how horrible to think of Herod soldiers killing infants
one should move the "dia de los inocentes" to april, which
is a good time for foolery, and forget the 28december massacre

 

[nitin]

:)
Nice to see that people are not really sleeping there.. hehe..
It was a good one.. just joined this forum.. i have to admit it nearly got me when it came to my awareness a couple of days after it went online..
String still going strong guys! hehe

 

[arivero]

Alejandro, I don't know anything definite but a Quantum Gravity forum might be set up somewhere. Would you be willing to volunteer some time mentoring---it is the 'camp counsellor' role that someone needs to do, if there eventually is such a board

Marcus, I have just finished my examination tasks and I am crossing with the ferry to Salerno (say, Vietri, Amalfi and all that) Monday, I will be back by end of september. So no decision until then, for me. In principle I have some time for such mentoring, but in deep I do not see why a new forum is needed; this one fits very exactly the role.

 

[PRodQuanta]

That was great. Had me for a while. HEHE.

Paden Roder

 

[Tom McCurdy]

HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
woah
that honestly scared me for the ten minutes i started to read it
i was a little skeptical at the part about witten changing into biology

however
that was a good one