The Elegant Universe

By listening to this koob, you will learn what superstring theory is and why it may hold the key to life, the universe, and everything.

You will also learn:

• Fundamental particles aren’t particles at all

• The rules of the universe don’t seem so universal up close

• Unprovable theories turn scientific hierarchies upside down

• Just because you can’t see other dimensions doesn’t mean they don’t exist

• The universe may be a concerto of tiny vibrating strings

For thousands of years, people have theorized about the nature of the universe. Legendary figures such as Newton and Einstein spent their lives debating the whys, wherefores, and hows of the world around us. Until recently, however, scientists faced a major obstacle: there seemed to be no unifying “theory of everything.” Relativity and quantum mechanics—the theories of the very big and very small—seemed mutually incompatible. Plus, where did gravity fit in? For theoretical physicist Brian Greene, superstring theory may hold the answer to all these questions. Are you ready to hear how some unbelievably tiny pieces of string could finally explain the makeup of the universe?