String Theory compact dimensions

[sneutron]

Brilliant forum, wish i'd spent time browsing it years ago.

In my layman's "understanding" of string theory six dimensions are compactified and usually presumed to be of very small size. My questions are:

1. Is there any mathematical or (better still) physical reason why this space does not collapse to a vanishingly small size? e.g. a pressure of some kind?

2. Bearing in mind other string theory dualities, is there any good reason, or even conjecture, to think that its size is in reciprocal proportion to the 3-space universe?

Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[dimensional]

I'm not sure if it has any bearing on your second question but I just came to understand that the high energy of winding modes of strings are proportional to the low energy of vibrational modes. I believe this is some sort of analog to the holographic principle because this finding says that distance can be measured by using either approaches. When we measure the size of the universe, we use the lightest vibrational pattern of strings, which is a photon.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I'm also learning this.