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Science Friday > Archives > 1999 > February > February 19, 1999:

Hour Two: String Theory

Think small. Really, really, really, small.

Think about tiny stringlike objects, 10-33cm long - that's a decimal point, followed by 32 zeroes, followed by a one. Now think about vibrations of those tiny strings making up the subatomic particles that make up atoms that make up all of the matter in the universe. And think of the wiggles of those strings being responsible for everything else, too, from light's shining to gravity's pulling. Does your brain hurt yet?

Superstring theory (also called just plain string theory) has been around since the 1960's, though it has fallen in and out of favor over the years. It holds that all the fundamental particles aren't just dimensionless points, but tiny, one-dimensional lines. The vibrations of those lines, proponents of string theory say, can predict all of the fundamental particles and kinds of energy that scientists currently know about. It might even, string fans argue, provide the basis for a comprehensive Theory of Everything. But right now, the theory is just an idea. Most forms of the theory depend on the universe having more dimensions than we can sense (some physicists say 10 dimensions, others 26). Also, without some experimental evidence for strings, such as scientists might be able to get from super-powerful supercolliders, many physicists are hesitant to accept string theory as more than a cute mathematical game.

On this hour of Science Friday, we'll get the lowdown on strings, and talk about whether the theory is worth getting tied up in knots about.

Listen to this program in RealAudio!

Guests:
Brian Greene
Author, "Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory "
Professor, Physics
Columbia University
New York, NY

Books/Articles Discussed:

"Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory," by Brian Greene. W.W. Norton, 1998.

Related Links:
String Theory web site
The Second Superstring Revolution
Washington Post article: A Short Course in String Theory (with No Equations)

This segment produced by:
Annette Heist
Web producer:
Charles Bergquist