Author: Molly Kozminsky
Editors: Theresa Mau, Jimmy Brancho, and Alisha John
July 2016 was all about taking potshots at string theorists. First, Bryan Moyers pointed out that people questioned if their field is really science. Then they showed up in the Ghostbusters reboot as the villains.
But what is it about string theory that inspires such vitriol? String theory suffers from a number of problems that inspire strong feelings and entire books. Over forty years of research have passed without yielding the promised “Theory of Everything,” with many scientists questioning whether it is even possible to confirm the theory. But before we write off string theory entirely, it might help to think about other long-shot theories such as the Higgs boson and gravity waves, and more generally about string theory itself.
So, what is string theory anyway?
Continue reading “String Theory: Worth the Wait or Just Stringing Us Along? (Part 1)”