202502021127
tags: #physics #theoretical-physics #string-theory

String theory is a theoretical framework that attempts to reconcile General Relativity and quantum mechanics into a single, unified "theory of everything." It proposes that the fundamental constituents of the universe are not zero-dimensional point particles, but one-dimensional "strings" of energy.

Different vibrational modes of these fundamental strings give rise to the different particles we observe—electrons, photons, quarks, etc.—much like the different vibrations of a guitar string produce different musical notes.

One of the most striking features of string theory is that it requires the existence of extra spatial dimensions beyond the three we experience. These extra dimensions are thought to be "compactified," or curled up on a scale so small that we cannot detect them.

String theory is currently a purely mathematical framework and lacks direct experimental evidence. It represents a fascinating and highly debated frontier of theoretical physics, existing at the very edge of our current Islands of Knowledge.

Reference

Coursera, "Question Reality: Matter"