What exactly is the string theory, and who came up with it?

gmackematix

There isn't one string theory but a whole range. Conventional physics was based on particles being zero-dimensional points but a string theory states that particles are made up of one-dimensional lines. In the (in)famous superstring theory, the smallest particles are curved lines that form closed loops which wave about into several dimensions. This apparently contrived is being looked at because it is one of the few available theories that could explain how gravity works at a subatomic level. It might therefore take us closer to the physics Holy Grail, the Theory of Everything. Here's more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_theory Dec 16 04, 7:02 PM