Loose Ends - String Theory and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

Embark on a captivating journey through the world of string theory in this 87-minute conference talk from the World Science Festival. Explore the fascinating history and potential future of this groundbreaking theory, which promises to unify nature's forces in ways Einstein could only dream of. Delve into mind-bending concepts like extra dimensions, holographic worlds, and multiple universes as leading theoretical physicists discuss string theory's impact on our understanding of reality. Learn about the unification of fundamental forces, supersymmetry, the Standard Model of particle physics, and the challenges faced by researchers in their quest for a unified theory. Gain insights into the black hole information paradox, Stephen Hawking's contributions, and how string theory is being applied to understand these cosmic enigmas. Whether you're a science enthusiast or simply curious about cutting-edge physics, this thought-provoking discussion will expand your knowledge of the universe and the ongoing search for its ultimate theory.

- Introduction
- Program introduction
- Marcelo Gleiser introduction
- Unification of electricity and magnetism
- Unification of space and time
- Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity
- Standard model of particle physics
- Supersymmetry
- The Island of Knowledge
- Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems
- String Theory explainer film
- Michael Dine introduction
- Supersymmetry and the spectrum of particles
- Large Hadron Collider
- Extra dimensions of space
- Dark energy and multiple universes
- Progress since the 1980s and the future of particle physics
- Andrew Strominger introduction
- Einstein and black holes
- The black hole information paradox
- Stephen Hawking’s insights into black holes
- Using string theory to understand black holes
- Conformal symmetry
- Andrew Strominger’s view of string theory