Tenets of quantum mechanics and special relativity, among other theoretical ideas, lead inexorably to string theory.

Could some observations from a faraway galaxy add up to a refutation of string theory? Researchers who study data from NASA’s Chandra Observatory think so. It’s difficult to prove something’s absence ...

What is string theory: It replaces point-like particles with tiny vibrating strings, requiring extra dimensions to reconcile gravity with quantum mechanics. Why it matters: String theory could unify ...

Why this matters: Extra dimensions could unify physics, explain cosmic mysteries, and reshape our understanding of the universe’s structure. What scientists propose: String theory and M‑theory predict ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. String theory captured the hearts and minds of many physicists decades ago because of a beautiful simplicity. Zoom in far enough on a ...

String theory proposes that the fundamental constituents of the universe are one-dimensional “strings” rather than point-like particles. What we perceive as particles are actually vibrations in loops ...

Brian Greene is one of the foremost scientists and science communicators of our time. Greene, a theoretical physicist at Columbia University, has been working for decades to advance our understanding ...

Physicists who have been roaming the “landscape” of string theory—the space of zillions and zillions of mathematical solutions of the theory, where each solution provides the kinds of equations ...