The quest for a theory that would unite the four forces of nature has eluded
the best minds of the century, Einstein included. But if Michio Kaku and
Jennifer Thompson are right in their revised edition of Beyond Einstein,
superstrings will do nicely, thank you. Here’s how it goes. Just as a violin
string “unites” all the musical tones and rules of harmony, so superstring
theory creates an all-inclusive picture of the Universe. Forces and particles
are just different modes of vibrating strings. Simple really. Published by
Oxford University Press, £7.99, ISBN 0192861964.
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