String Theory

[Billy Brown]

Any physicists out there? I'm looking for a layman's book on string theory. The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene seems popular. Any other good ones for the uninitiated?

[B10Cycle]

I'm sorry, but I have nothing to contribute here except to say wow. In a humanities class a few months back the idea of the String Theory came up in our discussion. A few of my more math/physics oriented classmates attempted to explain it and it absolutely blew my mind. All I can say is good luck, it's some pretty heavy sounding stuff.

[HereNT]

I don't know about other ones, but the PBS special for The Elegant Universe was SWEET!!!

[Billy Brown]

it's some pretty heavy sounding stuff.

Yep, that's why I want to find out more.

[KrisPistofferson]

Go to PBS's website. Last I checked, you can stream "The Elegant Universe" for free. It's actually fairly comprehensive, unless you really want to actually do the equations.

[phantomcow2]

i believe my science teacher was reading it last year. He said he got lost half way through the book, interesting stuff. Just think, your bike is made up of vibrating strings. I think thats it

[KrisPistofferson]

Perhaps it's a bit old school, but I read a book a while back that was published in 1979 called "The Dancing Wu Li Masters" by Gary Zukav. It's on quantum physics. That may be a start.
I thought it was a book on spirituality.

[trekkie820]

I am reading "The Fabric of the Cosmos", but have not yet gotten to string theory. I am pretty sure it covers it, but not necessarily in the totality that you may be looking for.

[Fugazi Dave]

I'm halfway through the Zukav book. Whatever you eventually decide it's about, it is a good read.

[Spocher]

Try this site: http://superstringtheory.com/

May not need to buy a book. :)

[caloso]

I'm about halfway through The Elegant Universe. It's blowing my mind, man! Seriously, very engaging and well-done.

[KrisPistofferson]

Just think, your bike is made up of vibrating strings.
Carbon fiber?

[Billy Brown]

I am reading "The Fabric of the Cosmos", but have not yet gotten to string theory. I am pretty sure it covers it, but not necessarily in the totality that you may be looking for.

Wow! I never expected such a response. That's great.

Trekkie, is "The Fabric..." something that a non-physicist could understand?

[Billy Brown]

Try this site: http://superstringtheory.com/

May not need to buy a book. :)

I'll definitely have to work my way through the site.

I'm sure this is something that I'll need to go through multiple sources before I can begin to understand.

[J-McKech]

Any reason why you wanna learn about this stuff? It's very interesting none the less, but I wouldn't sit down and learn about astro-physics.

[Billy Brown]

Any reason why you wanna learn about this stuff? It's very interesting none the less, but I wouldn't sit down and learn about astro-physics.

Overachieving graduate student.

[trekkie820]

Wow! I never expected such a response. That's great.

Trekkie, is "The Fabric..." something that a non-physicist could understand?

Absolutely. I am a mostly practical thinker, very much into working with my hands and such, hence I don't like science very much. Brian Greene makes it so that anyone can understand what he is saying. Very well done.