Back to the AntiGravity Propulsion Intro Page
Puzzle #7
#7. What are the fundamental degrees of freedom of M theory (the theory whose low energy limit is eleven-dimensional supergravity and that subsumes the five consistent superstring theories) and does the theory describe Nature?
For years, one big strike against superstring theory was that there were five Versions. Which, if any, described the Universe? The rivals have been recently reconciled into an overarching 11-dimensional frame-work called M theory, but only by introducing complications.
Before M theory, all the subatomic particles were said to be made from tiny superstrings. M theory adds to the subatomic mix even weirder objects called 'branes' --- like membranes but with as many as nine dimensions. The question now is: Which is more fundamental --- are strings made from 'branes' or vice-versa? Or is there something else even more basic that no one has thought of yet?
Finally, is any of this real, or is M theory just a fascinating mind game?
Back to the Physics Puzzles Index Page
Back to the AntiGravity Propulsion Intro Page
