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<blockquote data-quote="bolen" data-source="post: 2271655" data-attributes="member: 1442">short answer It is overhyped and&nbsp; going in the wrong directionLong answer&nbsp; We have a good model of three forces of nature (except gravity) at low energies (lower then a couple of TeV)&nbsp; String theory tries the same approaches that worked for the standard model but instead of particles (1 d objects) it uses strings (2 D objects).&nbsp; Unfortunately it has to invent other dimensions the latest is 12 spatial dimensions with 1 time.&nbsp; It seems to have all the ingredients needed for a final theory Except -&nbsp; &nbsp; It has no testable predictions -&nbsp; &nbsp; You end up with hundreds of free parameters-&nbsp; &nbsp; It is not clear why one should begin with flat spacetime at the fundamental plank length-&nbsp; &nbsp; Many other more technical questionsI work in Loop quantum gravity in this we do not try to unite the forces we just try to understand how to create a quantum theory of gravity.&nbsp; In some ways it is less ambitious then strings but I think we are on more solid mathematical ground.By the way if I had posted the above on a physics board the moderators would have closed the thread.&nbsp; I am not being very diplomatic (but neither are the string people)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="bolen, post: 2271655, member: 1442"] [B]short answer[/B] It is overhyped and going in the wrong direction [B]Long answer[/B] We have a good model of three forces of nature (except gravity) at low energies (lower then a couple of TeV) String theory tries the same approaches that worked for the standard model but instead of particles (1 d objects) it uses strings (2 D objects). Unfortunately it has to invent other dimensions the latest is 12 spatial dimensions with 1 time. It seems to have all the ingredients needed for a final theory Except - It has no testable predictions - You end up with hundreds of free parameters - It is not clear why one should begin with flat spacetime at the fundamental plank length - Many other more technical questions I work in Loop quantum gravity in this we do not try to unite the forces we just try to understand how to create a quantum theory of gravity. In some ways it is less ambitious then strings but I think we are on more solid mathematical ground. [I]By the way if I had posted the above on a physics board the moderators would have closed the thread. I am not being very diplomatic (but neither are the string people)[/I] [/QUOTE]

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