Why String Theory?

Physics World's 'Book of the Year' for 2016 An Entertaining and Enlightening Guide to the Who, What, and Why of String Theory, now also available in an updated reflowable electronic format compatible with mobile devices and e-readers. During the last 50 years, numerous physicists have tried to unravel the secrets of string theory. Yet why do these scientists work on a theory lacking experimental confirmation? Why String Theory? provides the answer, offering a highly readable and accessible panorama of the who, what, and why of this large aspect of modern theoretical physics. The author, a theoretical physics professor at the University of Oxford and a leading string theorist, explains what string theory is and where it originated. He describes how string theory fits into physics and why so many physicists and mathematicians find it appealing when working on topics from M-theory to monsters and from cosmology to superconductors.

Why?The Long Wait Scales of Science: Little and Large Big Lessons of Physics SPACE AND TIME ARE CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH SPACETIME IS DYNAMICALTHE WORLD IS DESCRIBED BY QUANTUM MECHANICS THE WORLD REALLY, HONESTLY, TRULY IS DESCRIBED BY QUANTUM MECHANICS NATURE LIKES SYMMETRIES THE UNIVERSE WAS YOUNG, SMOOTH AND HOT, BUT IS NOW OLD, COLD AND WRINKLY DIFFERENT CAN BE THE SAME NATURE IS SMARTER THAN WE ARE The Truth Is Out There What?What Was String Theory? THE BIRTH THE NAMING CEREMONY THE WILDERNESS YEARS HARBINGERS OF GREAT JOY THE LIMELIGHT THE THEORY FORMERLY KNOWN AS STRINGS What Is String Theory?QUANTUM FIELD THEORY BY ANY OTHER NAME THE MISANTHROPIC LANDSCAPE FIFTY YEARS ON What For?Direct Experimental Evidence for String Theory Why Strings? Quantum Field Theory THE PROBLEM OF STRONG COUPLING THE ADS/CFT CORRESPONDENCE APPLICATIONS TO COLLISIONS OF HEAVY IONS APPLICATIONS TO CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS Why Strings? Mathematics PEER RESPECT OF MONSTERS AND MOONSHINE MIRROR SYMMETRY CULTS IN PHYSICS Why Strings? Cosmology and Particle Physics EXTRA DIMENSIONS AND MODULI WHAT MAKES MODULI AND WHAT MODULI MAKE AXIONLIKE PARTICLES COSMIC MAGNETISM EXPERIMENTAL ENNUI Why Strings? Quantum Gravity COUNTING BLACK HOLES SINGULARITIES AND TOPOLOGY CHANGE THE ULTIMATE COLLIDER Who?A Thousand Flowers Blooming: Styles of Science THE REVOLUTIONARIES VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK STOCKHOLM OR BUST THE MOST SUBLIME BRAHMINATE OF PRINCETON IL FAUT CULTIVER NOTRE JARDIN #EpicFail? Criticisms of String Theory Why String Theory? REASONS FOR SUCCESS RIVALS AND COMPETITORS PREDICTING THE FUTURE

Joseph Conlon is a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Oxford and a fellow and tutor in physics at New College. He has been a recipient of the student-nominated Outstanding Tutor award across physical and life sciences for his undergraduate teaching. He is a world-leading researcher on string theory and the author of over 50 scientific papers. He has also given over 100 seminar and conference talks worldwide. His research mainly focuses on phenomenological applications of string theory to particle physics and cosmology. Visit WhyStringTheory.com for more details about his work.