Why String Theory is Right

You can learn more about The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/3qDN30hIvdbUploaded 07-11-18Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACESome see string theory as the one great hope for a theory of everything – that it will unite quantum mechanics and gravity and so unify all of physics into one glorious theory.You can further support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeGet your own Space Time t­-shirt at http://bit.ly/1QlzoBiTweet at us! @pbsspacetimeFacebook: facebook.com/pbsspacetimeEmail us! pbsspacetime [at] gmail [dot] comComment on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/pbsspacetimeMake Sure To Check Out The Great Courses Plus"The Great Courses Plus is currently available to watch through a web browser to almost anyone in the world and optimized for the US, UK, and Australian markets. The Great Courses Plus is currently working to both optimize the product globally and accept credit card payments globally."Help translate our videos!https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_...Previous Episode:Are Virtual Particles A New Layer of Reality?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztFovwCaOikHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdGraphics by Luke MaroldiAssistant Editing and Sound Design by Mike PetrowMade by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)Why has string theory been the obsession of a generation of theoretical physicists? What exactly is so compelling about tiny, vibrating strings? In our last string theory episode I talked about what these things really are, and covered some history. In short: the strings of string theory are literal strands and loops that vibrate with standing waves. Simply by changing the vibrational mode you get different particles – analogous to how different vibrational modes on guitar strings gives different notes.