The Case for String Theory - Sixty Symbols

Dr Tony Padilla on why he thinks there's a compelling case for String Theory... This is one of our occasional longer-form interviews.

This project features scientists from The University of Nottingham

Sixty Symbols videos by Brady Haran

Extra videos and images via CERN and ESO.

[Quantiad]

Okay, I've watched the video, now lets read the comments and see what the experts have to say.

[patrickwienhoft]

I love how he's like "Yeah, 6 other dimensions. No big deal, really..." at the end :D

[Heschoscho]

"Darling, do you know where i've put my other six Dimensions again?"
-"Gosh, does that really matter? You barely even use them!"

[vladomaimun]

WOW -1/12 views I've never been so late!

[MaxArceus]

Those strings you showed in your animation, I see them all the time floating in my vision
String theory proven👌👌👌👌👌

[NGEternal]

I love the ending to this video it's so amazing. "Well some people criticize it because it predicts 10 spacetime dimensions. This isn't really an issue I mean the extra 6 could easily be wrapped up real small or something so don't worry about that." (paraphrasing obviously)

[fs]

Now make "The Case Against String Theory"!

[blkselderij]

Great video! Please, more of these lengthy interviews :) Showing the natural progression of theories really help a great deal in understanding (to my limited extent) this material.

[banton]

Casually suggests that the entire universe is on a membrane of a higher dimension, claims it to be “not really a problem”

[leonardodavinci]

If you want a really in depth critique of Super String theory, I suggest you read Peter Woit's book Not Even Wrong. Its a great review of the mathematics and history of ST. The math references can be a bit challenging, but it is well worth the effort for the serious student. The book ends with an overview of how ST became so entrenched in academia that it became self-sustaining in spite of St's utter failure to even meet the orthodox criteria as a scientific 'theory'. I loved Richard Feynman's comment that "String theorists do not make predictions. They make excuses!".

[shipreck]

This is probably my favourite vid made by this channel up to now. Please make more like this.

[NielsHeldens]

Can you guys do a video on Verlinde's theory on dark matter? It seems rather interesting to me.

[amira]

the problem I keep encountering with arguments for string theory is that they usually boil down to "the maths is nice". It would be nice to maybe get a video on the case for an alternative theory as well, just for variety.

[uruginty]

I love the riffs you've put in between the different sections. Stringed instrument and all.

[mg]

I'm not a physicist but i am a scientist. A theory that produces a whole landscape of models, which can be retrofitted to any experimental result is not predictive. I'm not saying it's wrong, but until they come up with a single model that predicts experimental results that we can check, it's not science but an excercise in maths, no matter how elegant the physicists find it.

[MessierNGC]

These videos keep my motivated to a career in physics. Seeing scientists talking about these cutting edge fields. Because sometimes it can be hard to maintain that inspiration in such a world and culture as we have.

[daveangels]

These longer videos are my favorite, hoping Ed Copeland returns with one soon too

[unvergebeneid]

Are you going to do _The Case for Loop Quantum Gravity_ next?

[AhsimNreiziev]

As I understand it, the trouble with String Theory is that in it, there can be several different "models" of the Universe, only one of which can be a model of the Universe we actually live in. Now, each "model of String Theory", if you will, gives different predictions about the results of experiments.
The trouble is this: we don't know which model of the Universe is our Universe, so if we'd even do an experiment that contradicts a model of String Theory, we could just say: _"Oh, so it isn't that model, then"_ and switch to another -- effectively making it impossible to fully disprove String Theory, which makes it more of an "excuse generator" (by lack of a better term) than a rigorous Scientific Theory.

[johnclavis]

"Regge behavior? Was the paper co-written by Bob Marley?