I first became aware of String Theory some time in the 80's. At that time it seemed to be
a theory on the wane with many unanswered questions. I have recently read a couple of
books by Brian Greene, who has done much to help develop String Theory. It's now
Superstring Theory and some of the problems that plagued it in the 80's have been
resolved.
The primary tenant of Superstring Theory is that all of the basic particles of matter
(quarks, electrons, muons, neutrinos, etc), as well as all the basic particles of force
(gluons, photons, bosons, gravitons, etc) are made of tiny little (10-35 meters), one
dimensional, vibrating strings of energy. Every basic particle is composed of a single
string, and the pattern of the vibration (shape, amplitude, frequency, etc.) of that string,
determines the kind of basic particle that string will be.
The patterns required to produce some of the basic particles need more than the four
dimensions (length, width, depth and time) with which we are familiar. Superstring
theorists believe the number of dimensions needed to mathematically allow for all the
basic particles is somewhere around 9 to 11. The size of these extra dimensions is so
small compared to the dimensions of time and space with which we are familiar that we
are unaware of their existence. To find and see them, as well as the Strings, with our
current technology, would require a particle accelerator larger than our galaxy. By
comparison, our largest current accelerator is only several miles long. With advances in
technology we may some day be able to find them.
My biggest problem with Super string Theory is that nowhere can I find an explanation
of what keeps these tiny strings of energy vibrating. Perpetual motion violates the laws
of thermodynamics.
I would like to suggest a possible solution. If the theory I proposed in my Jan. '04
Mensa Bulletin article is correct, and the dimension of Energy which I described in that article reacts with our dimension of space, matter, and motion (force) on a regular frequency, then it might be during these
interactions that the strings are "recharged".
For more information about String Theory I would recommend Brian Greene's books
"The Elegant Universe", copyright 1999 and "The Fabric of Space", copyright 2004.
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