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String theory (and its alter ego M-theory) is currently the most viable candidate for a unified theory of physics which describes all forces of nature, encompassing the physics of gravity as well as quantum field theory. Major research centers include, for example, MIT, with five faculty members and numerous postdocs and graduate
String theory (and its alter ego M-theory) is currently the most viable candidate for a unified theory of physics which describes all forces of nature, encompassing the physics of gravity as well as quantum field theory. Major research centers include, for example, MIT, with five faculty members and numerous postdocs and graduate students working in this area.<ref> see [http://ctp.lns.mit.edu/research-strings.html MIT Center for Theoretical Physics]</ref>
students working in this area.<ref> see [http://ctp.lns.mit.edu/research-strings.html MIT Center for Theoretical Physics]</ref>
Princeton University researchers have found new mathematical evidence that some of string theory's predictions mesh closely with those of a well-respected body of physics called "gauge theory," which has been demonstrated to underlie the interactions among quarks and gluons, the vanishingly small objects that combine to form protons, neutrons and other, more exotic subatomic particles. The discovery, say the physicists, could open up a host of uses for string theory in attacking practical physics problems.<ref>See [http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S17/80/32S21/index.xml?section=newsreleases "Princeton physicists connect string theory with established physics," May 1, 2007] </ref>
Princeton University researchers have found new mathematical evidence that some of string theory's predictions mesh closely with those of a well-respected body of physics called "gauge theory," which has been demonstrated to underlie the interactions among quarks and gluons, the vanishingly small objects that combine to form protons, neutrons and other, more exotic subatomic particles. The discovery, say the physicists, could open up a host of uses for string theory in attacking practical physics problems.<ref>See [http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S17/80/32S21/index.xml?section=newsreleases "Princeton physicists connect string theory with established physics," May 1, 2007] </ref>
==History==
String theory originated in 1970 when particle theorists realized that the theories developed in 1968 to describe the particle spectrum also describe the quantum mechanics of oscillating strings. Supersymmetry was introduced in 1971. The watershed year was 1984, when string theory became accepted by the mainstream physics community as an actual candidate theory that could unite quantum mechanics, particle physics and gravity.
==Falsifiability==
==Falsifiability==
* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/ ''The Elegant Universe''] (Nova TV Series discussing Strings)
* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/ ''The Elegant Universe''] (Nova TV Series discussing Strings)
* [http://athome.harvard.edu/programs/sst/ "String Theory, Black Holes, aand the Fundamental Laws of Nature" (Harvard@Home 2007)]
* [http://athome.harvard.edu/programs/sst/ "String Theory, Black Holes, aand the Fundamental Laws of Nature" (Harvard@Home 2007)]
* [http://superstringtheory.com/ "The Official String Theory Web Site" by Patricia Schwarz (PhD Physics, Cal Tech)]
* [http://superstringtheory.com/people/index.html interviews with leaders in the field: John Schwarz; Sir Michael Atiyah; Ed Witten; Jim Gates; Eva Silverstein; Juan Maldacena; and Brian Greene]
==See also==
==See also==
* [[Twistor String Theory]]
* [[Twistor String Theory]]