String Theory For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1

So What Is String Theory Anyway?

IN THIS CHAPTER

Knowing that string theory is based on vibrating strings of energy

Understanding the key elements of string theory

Hoping to explain the entire universe with string theory

Studying string theory could be the driving scientific goal of the 21st century

String theory is a work in progress, so trying to pin down exactly what string theory is, or what its fundamental elements are, can be kind of tricky. Regardless, that’s exactly what we try to do in this chapter.

In this chapter, you gain a basic understanding of string theory. We outline the key elements of string theory, which provide the foundation for most of this book. We also discuss the possibility that string theory is the starting point for a “theory of everything,” which would define all of our universe’s physical laws in one simple (or not so simple) mathematical formula. Finally, we look at the reasons why you should care about string theory.

String Theory: Seeing What Vibrating Strings Can Tell Us about the Universe

String theory is a physics theory that models ...