Thirtyfive years ago string theory took physics by storm, promising the coveted unified theory of nature’s forces that Einstein valiantly sought but never found. In the intervening decades, string theory has brought a collection of mindboggling possibilities into the lexicon of mainstream thinking—extra dimensions of space, holographic worlds, and multiple universes. Some researchers view these developments as symptoms of string theory having lost its way. Others argue that string theory, although very much still a work in progress, is revealing stunning new qualities of reality. Join leading minds in theoretical physics for a whirlwind ride through the twists and turns of string theory—its past, its future, and what it tells us about the search for the universe’s final theory.

PARTICIPANTS: Marcelo Gleiser, Michael Dine, Andrew Strominger

MODERATOR: Brian Greene

MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND
PARTICIPANTS: https://www.worldsciencefestival.com/...

This program is part of the BIG IDEAS SERIES, made possible with support from the JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION.

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TOPICS
0:00 Introduction
3:54 Program introduction
5:40 Marcelo Gleiser introduction
6:26 Unification of electricity and magnetism
10:30 Unification of space and time
13:49 Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity
18:38 Standard model of particle physics
21:56 Supersymmetry
26:14 The Island of Knowledge
32:01 Godel’s Incompleteness Theorems
34:27 String Theory explainer film
37:07 Michael Dine introduction
38:35 Supersymmetry and the spectrum of particles
42:18 Large Hadron Collider
44:57 Extra dimensions of space
50:34 Dark energy and multiple universes
56:40 Progress since the 1980s and the future of particle physics
59:55 Andrew Strominger introduction
1:00:53 Einstein and black holes
1:03:59 The black hole information paradox
1:07:30 Stephen Hawking’s insights into black holes
1:12:00 Using string theory to understand black holes
1:19:33 Conformal symmetry
1:22:48 Andrew Strominger’s view of string theory

CREDITS
Produced by Laura Dattaro
Associate Produced by Peter Goldberg
Editing and Animation by Josh Zimmerman
Music provided by APM
Additional images and footage provided by: Getty Images, Shutterstock, Videoblocks, Event Horizon Telescope
Recorded at NYU Skirball Center