Evidence for String Theory?

Izeickl writes "PhysOrg.com is reporting that scientists working at a neutrino detector nicknamed AMANDA at the South Pole report that evidence for string theory may soon be coming. Extra dimensions predicted by string theory may affect observed numbers of certain neutrinos and this is what the scientists will be looking for. The article further states 'No more than a dozen high-energy neutrinos have been detected so far. However, the current detection rate and energy range indicate that AMANDA's larger successor, called IceCube, now under construction, could provide the first evidence for string theory and other theories that attempt to build upon our current understanding of the universe.'"

Comments

Who needs evidence?

[ScentCone]

"Strings" are just another way of describing devine, Noodly Appendages.

Actually, this is really cool. Looking forward to what the use of the new detector shows, or doesn't, as the case may be. String theory is such a mind bender for most people (including me), that anything making it more directly tangible will really help focus the conversation. Or end it. Either way is good.

That's nice, but. . .

[petra13]

It's cool that there's a testable prediction coming out of string theory, but I would take this with a grain of salt for the next few decades. For one thing, I don't think neutrinos themselves are well enough understood yet that string theory would provide the only (or even the best) possible explanation for discrepencies in their 'up' and 'down' neutrino rates. A multitude of experiments are being done now just to try to pin down the parameters governing neutrnio behavior. So if AMANDA sees the discrepency predicted by string theory, it would take a lot more work and many more years to demonstrate that there isn't a better explanation for it.

Re:well is it

[lisaparratt]

Just because you don't know how to falsify it doesn't mean it's not falsifiable. Religion is by definition not falsifiable.

That's the big, important, difference.

Re:wake me when this matters to us 3d people

[csirac]

Will it stop the onward march of socialism?

I'm confused by this one. There's an onward march of socialism? I thought it fascism ;)

Re:Falsifiable

[Lifewish]

If you find internal consistency (within the dogma of a religion, including their trusted documents) and external consistency with the outer (earth/cosmos) and inner (conscience/mind) world, then you can start taking it seriously.

Thanks for validating my acceptance of Flying Spaghetti Monsterism. May you always be touched by His Noodly Appendage!

No seriously. The filter you propose wouldn't even catch the travesty that was epicycles. There's a reason why Occam's razor is such an integral part of scientific philosophy.

[/flamebait]