Sunday, September 03, 2006
Navigating Physics
There are two extraordinarily popular blogs that have made a tremendous impact on theoretical physics. They are known as "Not Even Wrong" and "Lubos Motl's Reference Frame."
"Not Even Wrong" argues that string theory- a theory that requires extra dimensions and regards elementary particles as strings- is a theory of anything rather than a theory of everything. Because it cannot be experimentally verified, it may be a trap for theoretical physicists... at least according to Dr. Peter Woit, a professor in Columbia University's math department.
"Lubos Motl's Reference Frame" takes the opposite point of view and states that string theory is- by far- the best candidate for a Grand Unified Theory. (A Grand Unified Theory is one that will unite general relativity and quantum mechanics, and thus all four forces of nature.) While experimental verification of the theory is unlikely, string theory is a very popular development, far more popular than its alternatives.
To someone not well-versed in physics, the concepts discussed in these blogs look like gibberish. This is exactly why so many crackpots post off-topic comments on "Not Even Wrong" and the "Reference Frame." These comments are extremely dangerous because they are nothing more than empty attacks. Most of them are made by people who know nothing about science and who just want to see great physicists get angry.
Unfortunately, a lot of these comments do nothing more than criticize Lubos Motl, who is a professor of physics at Harvard. They usually do not criticize him for developing string theory (rather than loop quantum gravity or other alternative theories); they criticize him for his political views.
For example, Dr. Motl believes that most women have little interest in math and science. Well, that's true. Of course, the same could be said of most men. (How many people- of either gender- were in your high school calculus class?) I know a lot of men who can barely add, let alone take a triple integral to find the volume of a sphere. Why is this belief so controversial, even though it's true?
Why is string theory so controversial, if so many famous physicists are trying to develop it?
There are no definite answers as of yet. This blogger is determined to find them.
It might turn out that string theory won't be the final theory. But it will certainly take many, many years for alternative theories to make as much progress (or gather as many followers) as string theory has. Both string theory and loop quantum gravity have created new mathematical ideas that will undoubtedly prove useful to other physicists and mathematicians, so everyone is benefiting.
Mensa is holding a cosmology colloquium from October 6-8. You can find it here: www.colloquium.us.mensa.org
I have already signed up to go to it. This colloquium will allow physicists (and physics students like myself) to see everything that is going on. Both loop quantum gravity and string theory will be represented, so no one will go away unsatisfied.
¶ 10:57 PM
"Not Even Wrong" argues that string theory- a theory that requires extra dimensions and regards elementary particles as strings- is a theory of anything rather than a theory of everything. Because it cannot be experimentally verified, it may be a trap for theoretical physicists... at least according to Dr. Peter Woit, a professor in Columbia University's math department.
"Lubos Motl's Reference Frame" takes the opposite point of view and states that string theory is- by far- the best candidate for a Grand Unified Theory. (A Grand Unified Theory is one that will unite general relativity and quantum mechanics, and thus all four forces of nature.) While experimental verification of the theory is unlikely, string theory is a very popular development, far more popular than its alternatives.
To someone not well-versed in physics, the concepts discussed in these blogs look like gibberish. This is exactly why so many crackpots post off-topic comments on "Not Even Wrong" and the "Reference Frame." These comments are extremely dangerous because they are nothing more than empty attacks. Most of them are made by people who know nothing about science and who just want to see great physicists get angry.
Unfortunately, a lot of these comments do nothing more than criticize Lubos Motl, who is a professor of physics at Harvard. They usually do not criticize him for developing string theory (rather than loop quantum gravity or other alternative theories); they criticize him for his political views.
For example, Dr. Motl believes that most women have little interest in math and science. Well, that's true. Of course, the same could be said of most men. (How many people- of either gender- were in your high school calculus class?) I know a lot of men who can barely add, let alone take a triple integral to find the volume of a sphere. Why is this belief so controversial, even though it's true?
Why is string theory so controversial, if so many famous physicists are trying to develop it?
There are no definite answers as of yet. This blogger is determined to find them.
It might turn out that string theory won't be the final theory. But it will certainly take many, many years for alternative theories to make as much progress (or gather as many followers) as string theory has. Both string theory and loop quantum gravity have created new mathematical ideas that will undoubtedly prove useful to other physicists and mathematicians, so everyone is benefiting.
Mensa is holding a cosmology colloquium from October 6-8. You can find it here: www.colloquium.us.mensa.org
I have already signed up to go to it. This colloquium will allow physicists (and physics students like myself) to see everything that is going on. Both loop quantum gravity and string theory will be represented, so no one will go away unsatisfied.
¶ 10:57 PM
