Posted on 11/26/2006 9:01:18 AM PST by SunkenCiv
According to string theory, the universe is composed of tiny, vibrating strings rather than point-like particles. Depending on a particular string's mode of vibration, it would take on the characteristics of some particular particle -- an electron, for example, or a photon of light... In its latest incarnation it is known as "M-Theory," in which one-dimensional strings are replaced by higher-dimensional membranes, or "branes" for short. Although some of these branes may be microscopic, others could be large, or perhaps even infinite -- with important implications for cosmology... While string theory begins with matter, loop quantum gravity begins with space and time. The theory is built around the idea that both space and time are composed of indivisible, discrete units. In some computations, those units have the properties of tiny loops -- hence the name. The theory also describes how those loops are linked together; the resulting web-like architecture is called a "spin network." According to the loop quantum gravity theory, the smallest possible unit of space is described by the "Planck volume," or about 10-99 cubic centimetres (that's a decimal followed by 98 zeros and then a 1). The smallest unit of time, similarly, is the "Planck time," or about 10-43 seconds.
(Excerpt) Read more at thestar.com ...
Dan Falk:
Universe on a T-Shirt:
The Quest for the Theory of Everything
by Dan Falk
Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia
CBC radio review (text, mp3, ogg)
Currently I'm attempting to plow through Lisa Randall's Warped Passages: Unraveling The Mysteries Of The Universe's Hidden Dimensions (HarperCollins 2005). A fun read by one of the leading theoretical physicists engaged in the work. Also have a few books by Michio Kaku, another physicist who can write engagingly for public consumption.
Didn't realize you are the chairperson of the two most interesting topics here...you graciously put me on your Glyphs list yesterday, String Theory today, please. Thanks.
Ms. Veto!
(Not a physicist)
Ironically, I was roped into doing a string theory ping list.
You're added.
Didn't realize you are the chairperson of the two most interesting topics here...you graciously put me on your Glyphs list yesterday, String Theory today, please. Thanks.Thanks for the kind remarks. The GGG list started a year or so before I got to FR, and had a number of earlier managers, most of whom are still with us. Wave to the crowd, blam, FairOpinion, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach.
Welcome to our GGG family. You're welcome to post articles too.
blam: Welcome to our GGG family. You're welcome to post articles too.Yeah, posting GGG topics would be excellent. :'D
Thanks for thinking of me - I didn't even know there was a String Theory list.
Yes, please put me on it.
Thanks. :)
Yes, all very interesting. But has anyone devised a way of testing 'string theory?' Or is it one of those fascinating and, even elegant, speculations destined to go unresolved forever? While this theory is quite stimulating, it is, by it's own nature, impossible to observe and, thus, to prove.
Plenty more topics where this came from. ;') No way to test it.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=stringtheory
LOL
I guess "ironically" was knot the best choice.
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