Is string theory tying us in knots?
Is it possible to combine the theory of relativity (which explains the movement of large bodies) with quantum mechanics (which explain the action of sub-atomic particles) into a Grand Unification Theory (GUT) that would account for everything from the big bang to black holes? Ever since the 1980s, the best bet for such a GUT was something called string theory.
Now, in this article, the “Observer” newspaper’s science editor today explains remarkably clearly the problems with string theory and why it is becoming less popular among physicists.
If this is something which interests you, you will know that the acclaimed scientist Stephen Hawking has now made three attempts to explain to a lay readership the concepts of theorectical physics that lie behind an understanding of the complete universe from unimaginably huge bodies like galaxies to unbelieveably small sub-atomic particles like quarks. First there was “A Brief History Of Time” in 1988; then there was “The Universe In A Nutshell” in 2001; and last year we had “A Briefer History Of Time”.(my review here).