Talk:Superstring theory
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Although some scientists say that there can be upwards of four spacetime dimensions, this is untrue. There can only be more space dimensions. This is proven through simple reasoning. If more time dimensions were to exist, and they were curled up and small like the extra space dimensions, we would circumnavigate the time dimension very quickly, due to its size. This would mean that we would return to a previous instant in time. Obviously, this is beyond our experience and comprehension, so there is no reason to believe we should ever experience it.
Maveric - I know this much about the topic: String theory and Superstring theory are different enough to be written separately - I just read the "Elegant Universe" which discusses the differences in depth over several chapters. I am, unfortunately, far too ignorant to attempt to explain the difference adeqautely. - User:MMGB
I'll try to explain it soon.
String theory is about strings. But strings of what? As an answer to that question, I like to think 'strings of energy'. After all, we know that
- energy is a fundamental concept in string theory (which makes it a possible answer)
- dimension is a derived concept in string theory (which nixes it as a possible answer)
- information is just wrong since strings are continuous while information is discrete
So there's only one possible answer as far as I can see. Plus,
- energy is distributed on the string's world-sheet. Isn't it?
Can we have some expert explain in comprehensible terms why this is completely wrong?
- From my understanding, it's not really a meaningful question. In the
- Standard Model we don't ask what electrons are made of, because they're
- supposed to be fundamental particles. Likewise, string theory says that
- strings are fundamental. Being the fundamental building block means that
- there isn't anything for it to be made of. But I could be wrong.
- --Stuart Presnell 29/11/2002
Please clarify the following statement in the article:
- Heterotic SO(32) is slightly inaccurate since among the SO(32) Lie groups,
- string theory singles out Spin(32)/Z2.
Does this mean merely that the name is inaccurate? Yahya Abdal-Aziz 2003/04/23
Extra Dimentions.
I read with interest the theory that extra spatial dimentions exist. However, this view is at variance with one expressed by Professor Stephen Hawking who remarked that " if there were more that three spatial dimentions, the orbits of planets around the sun or electrons around a nucleus would be unstable and they would tend to spiral inward."
Derek R Crawford.
- See an answer here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Why_10_dimensions#Extra_Dimentions.).