Previous
At the opposite extreme, we have also seen that our universe may merely be one of the innumerable frothing bubbles on the surface of a vast and turbulent cosmic ocean called the multiverse.

String theory, like the development of twentieth-century physics, is a study in extremes. In seeking to articulate a single law that explains both the largest galaxy and the smallest component of a quark, string theorists have come across other arresting prospects that go far beyond their earlier hypotheses. At the end of The Elegant Universe, Greene introduces some of string theory’s more recent discoveries, and its prospects for future ones.

Edward Witten’s M-theory, which was introduced four years before the publication of The Elegant Universe, has revealed some bizarre cosmic behavior. Perhaps, as Greene mentions in this passage, the universe as we know it is just a tiny “frothing bubble on the surface of a vast and turbulent cosmic ocean called the multiverse.” Perhaps what string theorists thought were the tiniest components of matter also possess macroscopic properties. Perhaps the reconciliation of quantum mechanics and general relativity will yield revelations far more dramatic than anyone understands right now.

Special relativity hinges on the constancy of the speed of light, but for the moment, string theory lacks an organizing framework of this sort. Until that principle comes to light, string theory remains a subject of much uncertainty and debate. The next superstring revolution, Greene suggests, will require another “leap in our understanding of the universe.” Until then, string theorists can only continue exploring varied and complex speculations about the cosmos.

Previous section Important Quotes Explained Page 4

Popular pages: The Elegant Universe

Take a Study Break