Superstring theory…No More.

A report by:

RAdm. R.M. Wey

COSR: SFS-SFC

Even as the close of the twentieth century approaches, and pundits are calling the death of science[this due to their belief that all the important discoveries have already been made], there remains one fundamental truth…Neither quantum mechanics, nor general relativity get along.

For general relativity fails to comply with the rules of quantum mechanics governing the behavior of elementary particles, and black holes challenge the very existence of quantum mechanics.

And, until recently, the theory best suited to join the two was ‘strings’[one dimensional objects whose very vibrations were the very representation of elementary particles; However, such is no longer the case. For ‘strings’ have been subsumed by what has been named ‘M-theory.’[M standing for magic, mystery, or membrane, depending on the individual].

Conventional gravity does not limit the possible dimensions of space-time, however, supergravity limits such to eleven. The universe with which we are familiar has three[height, length, breadth]While time makes up the fourth dimension of space-time.

Yet, there is thought that space-time may have a hidden fifth dimension. However, this dimension would not be infinite like the others, but would instead close in upon itself, forming a circle. Around this circle would reside quantum waves[this circle would be in the area of 10^-33 centimeters in radius. Unseen, it would still yield electromagnetism, and gravity.

Supergravity is most elegant with the existence of eleven dimensions[ten of space and one of time], unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Thus was supergravity’s position usurped by superstring theory, of which five competing theories existed. However, five theories seemed to be too much of a good thing, if one is looking for ‘the theory of everything’, then something isn’t right.

P-branes,[or point like membranes]which are p-dimensional objects, or: a particle, with zero dimensions, that sweeps out a one dimensional trace[a string, with length],or worldline. Then the string, having one dimension, sweeps out a two dimensional worldsheet, and a membrane, having two dimensions[length and breadth]sweeps out a three dimensional worldvolume. These ‘membranes’ may take the form of a bubble, or stretched out like a sheet in two directions.

The conservation of energy[which follows if one considers the laws of physics remain unchanged with time, or are symmetric as time passes], and conservation of electric charge[which follows from a symmetry of a particle’s wave function]of elementary

particles are maintained because of symmetries. Sometimes, however, such maintenance is more from deformations in fields, such then are considered topological.

Such a deformation[such as a knot in a set of field lines], called a soliton, cannot be smoothed out, nor dissipated, and thus behaves much like a particle[the classic example of which is called a magnetic monopole]. Thus, particles such as electrons and quarks are seen as fundamental, whereas particles such as magnetic monoploes are derivative.

It was determined that, such solitons were indeed fundamental to the more realistic versions of quark theories, and provided a wealth of information on quantum fields.

Thus it was that M-theory became the umbrella to T-duality[which connects the physics of large space-times with that of small ones], and S-duality, and String-String duality.

Yet despite all the successes, M-theory is only now being understood. For physicists have long suspected that unifying gravity with quantum physics would leave space-time somewhat ill defined.

And yet, history may find our search to be less grandiose, and more childlike, however, research will continue until a grand unified theory…is realized.