In This Topic
Meeting the founders of string theory
Rising to the challenge: A new generation of string theorists
Branching out to make string theory popular among nonphysicists
No new theory can develop without dedicated scientists working hard to refine and interpret it. Throughout this topic, you read about some of the pioneering work in string theory. Now it’s time to find out more about some of the scientists themselves, the people who make string theory tick as they research the mysteries of the universe within the context of this budding science. As string theory unfolds, some of these individuals may become legends on the order of Einstein and Newton, or they may end up finding useful ways of presenting this complex theory in ways that the general public can understand.
In this topic, I introduce ten physicists who are responsible for the rise of string theory. I give brief biographies of not only the founders of string theory, but also some of the visionaries who have refined the theory over the years. Some of these personalities are also physicists who have written popular topics or been involved with educational programs on the topic, helping to broaden the general public’s understanding of string theory. However, this topic isn’t a “top ten” list, and just because a name hasn’t been included should not be taken to mean that the person’s work and contributions are any less significant than the names listed.
