An Introduction to String/M-Theory

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• Nick Evans (Southampton University)
• Wednesday 30 May 2012, 13:30-14:30
• Small Lecture Theatre (S06, Poynting [R13]).

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Prof Ian Kenyon.

I, someone who has entered string theory with a phenomenologists background, will attempt to give a gentle first introdution to what string theory or M theory actually is. Why does it unify gravity and gauge theory? Why are there 5 types of string theory and why do they live in 10 dimensions? Are they string theories anyway since they contain higher dimension branes? How do dualities and 11 dimensional M-theory unify them? How do we even define what theses theories are? Are there really 10^500 vacuum states? Does any of this have anything to do with the real world? We can end with a good argument about the anthropic principle.

This talk is part of the Particle Physics Seminars series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Bham Talks
• Particle Physics Seminars
• Small Lecture Theatre (S06, Poynting [R13])
• What's on in Physics?

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