String theory

String theory is a model of fundamental physics whose building blocks are one-dimensional extended objects (strings) rather than the zero-dimensional points (particles) that are the basis of the Standard Model of particle physics. For this reason, string theories are able to avoid problems associated with the presence of pointlike particles in a physical theory. Study of string theories has revealed that they require not just strings but other objects, variously including points, membranes, and higher-dimensional objects.

References and further reading

Popular books and articles

• Davies, Paul, and Julian R. Brown. Superstrings: A Theory of Everything?. Cambridge University Press (1988). ISBN 0-521-43775-X.
• Greene, Brian, The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory, W.W. Norton & Company; Reissue edition (2003) ISBN 0-393-05858-1.
• Gribbin, John, The Search for Superstrings, Symmetry, and the Theory of Everything. London, Great Britain: Little Brown and Company (1998). ISBN 0-316-32975-4.
• Kaku, Michio, Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension. New York, Oxford University Press (1994). ISBN 0-195-08514-0.
• Penrose, Roger, The Road to Reality ; A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe, Jonathan Cape (2004), ISBN 0-224-04447-8.

Textbooks

• Green, Michael, John Schwarz and Edward Witten, Superstring theory, Cambridge University Press (1987). The original textbook.
• Vol. 1: Introduction, ISBN 0-521-35752-7.
• Vol. 2: Loop amplitudes, anomalies and phenomenology, ISBN 0-521-35753-5.
• Johnson, Clifford, D-branes, Cambridge University Press (2003). ISBN 0-521-80912-6.
• Polchinski, Joseph, String Theory, Cambridge University Press (1998). A modern textbook.
• Vol. 1: An introduction to the bosonic string, ISBN 0-521-63303-6.
• Vol. 2: Superstring theory and beyond, ISBN 0-521-63304-4.
• Zwiebach, Barton. A First Course in String Theory. Cambridge University Press (2004). ISBN 0-521-83143-1. Errata are available online.

External links

• Superstringtheory.com - The "Official String Theory Web Site", created by Patricia Schwarz.
• The Elegant Universe - A Three-Hour Miniseries with Brian Greene by NOVA (original PBS Broadcast Dates: October 28th, 8-10 pm and November 4, 8-9 pm, 2003). Various images, texts, videos and animations explaining string theory.
• Beyond String Theory - An ongoing project by Jan Troost, a string physicist working for the French CNRS.
• Superstrings! String Theory Home Page - Online tutorial.
• Superstrings - Michael Green on string theory in a Scientific American article, September 1986.
• The Symphony of Everything - A short interactive introduction to string theory.
• SCI.physics.STRINGS - The home page of a newsgroup dedicated to string theory.
• Resource Letter - A guide to the string theory literature.
• The Nth Dimension - A comprehensive compilation of materials concerning string theory. Created by classmates in the four-month project.
• "Cosmic strings reborn?" - A talk given by Tom Kibble in September 2004.
• Ed Witten's KITP Public Lecture - Slides and audio from an Ed Witten lecture where he introduces string theory and discusses its challenges.
• The Reference Frame A blog supporting string theory
• Not Even Wrong A blog critical of string theory
• Is string theory even wrong? - A criticism of string theory.