String Theory from deterministic automaton

[nicoo]

Gerard 't Hooft just dropped this interesting paper.

http://arxiv.org/abs/1207.3612
Discreteness and Determinism in Superstrings
Gerard 't Hooft
Ideas presented in two earlier papers are applied to string theory. It had been found that a deterministic cellular automaton in one space- and one time dimension can be mapped onto a bosonic quantum field theory on a 1+1 dimensional lattice. We now also show that a cellular automaton in 1+1 dimensions that processes only ones and zeros, can be mapped onto a fermionic quantum field theory in a similar way. The natural system to apply all of this to is superstring theory, and we find that all classical states of a classical, deterministic string propagating in a rectangular, D dimensional space-time lattice, with some boolean variables on it, can be mapped onto the elements of a specially chosen basis for a (quantized) D dimensional superstring. This string is moderated ("regularized") by a 1+1 dimensional lattice on its world sheet, which may subsequently be sent to the continuum limit. The space-time lattice in target space is not sent to the continuum, while this does not seem to reduce its physically desirable features, including Lorentz invariance.

Do you see possible implications for strings?

[Edit] Sorry, I just saw another thread is already created for this.
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=621589

 

[AndyW]

Hi there,

Thank you for sharing this interesting paper with us. I am always excited to see new developments in string theory, and Gerard 't Hooft is certainly a well-respected and influential figure in this field.

After reading the abstract and briefly skimming the paper, I can see that the author is proposing a mapping between a deterministic cellular automaton and a bosonic or fermionic quantum field theory on a lattice. This is certainly an intriguing idea, and it could potentially have implications for our understanding of string theory.

One possible implication is that it could provide a new approach for studying string theory on a lattice, which could be useful for addressing some of the challenges and limitations of the traditional continuous approach. It may also shed light on the nature of space and time at a fundamental level, as the use of a discrete lattice could provide insights into the underlying structure of the universe.

However, as with any new idea or theory, it will require further research and scrutiny before we can fully understand its implications and potential impact on string theory. I look forward to seeing how this concept develops and how it may contribute to our understanding of strings.