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String Theories

The Standard Model of physics, relativistic quantum field theory [RQFT] has been exceptionally successful in the years since its development, but is irreconcilable with the force of gravity. In order to formulate a quantum theory of gravity, String Theories were developed. Instead of the "zoo" of zero-dimensional point particles in RQFT, 1-dimensional extended objects called strings are postulated to be the fundamental building blocks of matter.

String theories may be capable of unifying the known natural forces - gravity, electromagnetism, weak and strong nuclear) using the same set of equations. Such theories are known as Grand Unification Theories, or GUTs. Unfortunately string theories and their expansions (M-theory and Superstrings) may not be falsifiable because they incorporate 10, 11 and even 22 'extra' dimensions that may never be observable, and make no new predictions beyond the existence of those extra dimensions.

String theories postulate that the constituents of matter (particles of matter, energy and force exchange) are actually Planck-size strings that vibrate in different modes, producing different particles. These strings can split and combine (be open or closed), which would give rise to particle interactions and includes predictions related to Supersymmetry.

Web Resources On String Theories

String theory (Wikipedia)
The Official String Theory Web Site
Nova: The Elegant Universe

Book Resources On String Theories

String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction by Katrin Becker, Melanie Becker and John Schwarz
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next by Lee Smolin
A First Course in String Theory by Barton Zwiebach

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