String Theory

Published on January 1, 2005 By JillUser In Pure Technology

Hope the title didn't get anyone excited, this is not an in depth article trying to explain string theory so if that is what you were hoping for, move along. Instead, this blog is more of simply my general reaction to this theory.

I was watching a Nova piece about string theory and found it very interesting. I have to give scientists credit for putting so much effort into something that really can't be tested. All the while I couldn't help thinking, no matter how far scientists get, i.e. elementary particles, whatever is the basis of everything, you will always end up at a point where something came from nothing. That is the point I struggle with and I am sure I am far from alone.

Whenever I hear people say "My scientific mind won't allow me to believe in God" I cringe. Even if you have the most scientific mind in existence, you have to admit that at some point something came from nothing and there is simply no explaination. You either have faith in an unexplainable higher power or you don't. You either accept that there are things that just can't be proven or you don't.

I am always excited to see how far science will get us but all the while feeling that we can only get so far with our human abilities.

Comments (Page 2)

ParaTed2k

on Jan 13, 2005

I'm afraid that as a scientist I must strongly disagree with this. I understand what you are saying but this only really applies to evolving scientific work and not to science in general. So many scientific discoveries were just that, discoveries. Surprises that occurred during experiments or when data was analysed. The proof therefore came before the actual theory was worked out or understood. Many scientist work in trying to explain and understand scientific effects. A good example is gravity. Proof is there long before scientist truely understand it. Hence all the work on string theory to unify gravity with other proven forces.

Actually Paul, I think we both said basically the same thing. Only you said it better.

trina_p

on Jan 13, 2005

I had no idea what this article was about until I read through the comments. The first thing that came to mind when I read string theory was that thing about holding your wedding ring above your pregnant belly and whichever way it swings on the string/strand of hair is if it's a boy or girl.

What's string theory?

nmrhth

on Jan 13, 2005

If you are mathmatically minded at all you know that if you keep moving toward a point by moving half the distance per move, you will never get there.

Yes you will. If each move takes the same amount of time, then you would need to take an infinite number of moves. However, if you keep up a constant speed, you'll get there real quickly.

on Jan 13, 2005

Yes you will. If each move takes the same amount of time, then you would need to take an infinite number of moves. However, if you keep up a constant speed, you'll get there real quickly.

Sure, you will get to other end.... after infinite time have passed. It's same for numbers. Start with number 100. Divide it by 2. Repeat it N times. You can't divide it down to zero. You will get smaller and smaller number but NEVER zero.

stevendedalus

on Jan 14, 2005

You will get smaller and smaller number but NEVER zero.

This Zeno theory presupposes infinity within a finite visible space; actually it is only valid for the infinitesimal subatomic realm.

stevendedalus

on Jan 14, 2005

To interpret our religious tales through a scientific lens, as many of our fundamentalists insist upon doing, is to miss the deeper truths they convey, often expressed in poetic imagery or simple metaphors. I’m sure our religious mythologies are mankind’s attempts to understand cosmic occurrences of which the human soul is deeply aware, but of which the mind can barely conceive.

Great statement; in the end, we are essentially aesthetic, not scientific. Thanks for reading my "strings."

cactoblasta

on Jan 14, 2005

Sure, you may never get there, but close enough is good enough. I mean, if you're heading down to the pub for a middy, you don't need to end up in the closest spot to the bar. Someone else can buy your drink.

Chances are some scientist will figure out that it doesn't really matter how far away you are, there's always some way of putting the lead weight on the scales of life.

But then again most science (including most of the comments above) goes straight over my head, so it just goes to show what I know.

Solitair

on Jan 17, 2005

What's string theory?

String theory is basically an attempt by scientists to bring together the behaviour of the known forces and interactions in the Universe. So for example, we have an equation (from newton) which describes the force due to gravity. We have another equation that describes the force two electrons exert on each other. These are completely difference equations though and have no relation to each other. String theory attempts to have a single unified theory that can be used to explain either force and accurately calculate it. It also attempts to explain fundamental issues such as 'what is mass' and 'what is energy'.

Paul.

Solitair

on Jan 17, 2005

you may never get there,

People are thinking on the wrong scale here. If you keep halfing your distance to a target you will actually eventually reach it due to the uncertainty principle. A point will eventually be reached where the uncertainty in your position is greater than the remaining distance to the target. This very principle for example is used in quantum tunneling (a concept very important in computer chip design).

Paul.

BrummyBoy

on Jan 18, 2005

String theory ... attempts to explain fundamental issues such as 'what is mass' and 'what is energy'.

I don't think string theory can actually explain anything at all, regarding ultimate issues of existence - even if the theory is proved (hypothetically speaking). It can only describe the makeup and behaviour of the cosmos. This goes for any of science's endeavours.

If you keep halfing your distance to a target you will actually eventually reach it due to the uncertainty principle

I think a better way to understand the point that was made earlier (which was about infinity), is to consider travelling an infinite distance. You will never reach your destination, because you'll always have at least another mile to travel, so to speak. (What's more, the territory will always be new, which refutes the principle of walking along a circle, or in a closed sphere).

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