What is superstring theory?
Superstring theory and M-theory explained π
A Thread π
Superstring theory and M-theory explained π
A Thread π
The beginning of the concept of replacing the dot particles with vibrating strings goes back to the 1960s. String theory predicted a particle with with zero mass and a spin of two.
Two mathematical physicists, John Schwarz and Joel Scherk, in 1974, discovered that this unwelcome particle was nothing other than the graviton, the quantum carrier of gravitational force.
This created an extremely amazing outlet for reconciling gravity with quantum mechanics. Physicist Leonard Mlodinow credited Schwarz and Scherk for their βastounding discoveryβ that gravity was part of string theory in a way that would βavoid contradictions between GR and QMβ.
The journey of superstring theory started during the early 1970s when physicists were looking ways to include fermions in the spectrum of string theory that led to the inventions of Supersymmetry, a mathematical modeling that shows transformation from bosons and fermions.
And thatβs how it led to the invention of a new theory (now called Superstring theory) which basically is string theory that includes fermionic vibrations.
But the path of developing this new theory wasnβt as easy as it might have seemed.
But the path of developing this new theory wasnβt as easy as it might have seemed.
By the mid 1900s, theoretical and mathematical physicists had developed five different versions of string theory, not being able to exactly figure out which one is the actual one.
These five different versions or variations of the theory are known as type I, type IIA, type IIB, and the two flavors of heterotic string theory (SO(32) and E8xE8. I shall not get deeper into the version and perhaps keep it for the next publication.
The biggest problem was to decide which theory is the actual theory of everything and nd that theory was the one whose low-energy limit matched the physics observed in our world today.
In the spring of 1995, speaking at the string theory conference at the University of California Dr. Edward Witten provided a surprising insight into the solution of the problem which later went on to begin the second superstring revolution in the physics community.
He said that the five theories were actually not distinct but different limits of a single theory. He unified all five theories and formulated a new master theory or magical theory called M-theory.
(Image: @QuantaMagazine)
(Image: @QuantaMagazine)
Superstring theory, by many great intellectuals in the modern scientific community, is considered as the most promising theory that can become a valid candidate for the theory of everything. However, the theory has its own limitations.
It is based in supersymmetry and no such supersymmetric particle has been discovered so far. So, lack of experimental evidence is serious great limitation to the theory even though it stands accurate and extremely promising theoretically and is mathematically very consistent.
5 Best Books To Study Quantum Mechanics:
piggsboson.medium.com
piggsboson.medium.com
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