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Test for String Theory Developed
inexion writes "PhyOrg is reporting that SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center) scientists have found a way to test the revolutionary theory, which posits that there are 10 or 11 dimensions in our universe. This past December, Joanne Hewett, Thomas Rizzo, and student Ben Lillie published an article in Physical Review Letters which shows theoretically how to measure the number of dimensions that comprise the universe. By determining how many dimensions exist, Hewett and Rizzo hope to either confirm or repudiate string theory under specific conditions which would consist of creating and examining 'micro-black holes', which could be formed by smashing two high energy protons together. Using the predicted decay properties of the emitted neutrinos, Hewett and Rizzo solved equations to find that our universe may have more than 10 or 11 dimensions -- too many dimensions to be explained by string theory."
How many micro-black holes have we measured in a lab?
None.
How many micro-black holes have we even seen?
None, as it turns out.
This is a story of hope and speculation--much like the story of super string theory.
Hell, do we even have the capabilities to smash two high energy protons together?
To be fair, Bosonic Super string theory has room for 25 dimensions but it's flawed with tachyon, the so called imaginary mass.
I'd be interested to know how they intend to measure the micro-black holes.
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If one day string theory is validated by an actual experiment what consequences will it have for the various interpretations of Quantum Mechanics? Is it going to give more credibility to any one of the interpretations of QM? Or is this a completely orthogonal issue?
Disclaimer: I know nothing about String Theory but methinks that a true Theory of Everything must provide us with an unambiguous answer for the nature of the collapse of a wavefunction, no?
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- It's talking about highly hypothetical experiments that they imagine could be done at the energies the LHC can reach, not experiments that have actually been done.
- It's talking about tests of an unusual version of string theory, in which the extra dimensions aren't curled up as tightly as the Planck scale, and string theory starts to show effects at energies on the order of 1 TeV.
- They say the experiment could only disprove string theory, not prove it, and then only if the production of microscopic black holes occurred.
This all seems pretty unexciting to me as a nonspecialist. I mean, heck, if the LHC starts producing microscopic black holes, then obviously quantum gravity becomes a much more reasonable thing to work on, regardless of whether string theory is right or wrong.In addition to string theory's problems with non-uniqueness you refer to, it seems to me that there's also a problem with string theory as a theory of quantum gravity, because it assumes a smooth background spacetime with the 3+1 ordinary dimensions being flat. But that's just not a reasonable way for a theory of quantum gravity to work. In particular, there are strong model-independent reasons for believing that spacetime must be discrete, not continuous, at the Planck scale. So even if string theory could have all its other problems taken care of, it would still not be a good candidate for a fundamental theory of quantum gravity.
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"Of course, we also don't have Large Hadron Colliders all over the universe, smashing particles together with enormous speed and accuracy, do we?"
The universe can easily put our best efforts to shame. For example, the Oh My God particle. If constant bombardment by these sorts of particles hasn't yet destroyed us, it's doubtful anything we do will make it worse.
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