Physics & Astronomy Colloquium

3:30 PM, Friday, November 18, 2005

Room 155, Chem-Phys Building

Dr. Michael Douglas

Department of Physics
Rutgers University

``Can String Theory Be Tested?''

For about twenty years, superstring theory has widely been considered the leading candidate for a theory unifying the Standard Model of fundamental physics with general relativity, and indeed a "final theory." However, despite intensive work, there is no agreement as to how to test the theory, or whether this is indeed possible in principle. We explain the reasons for this, and some of the discoveries which might be made, at collider experiments at Fermilab and CERN, and in cosmology and gravity physics, which would provide clear evidence for or against the theory, for a general physics audience.

Refreshments will be served in CP 155 at 3:15 PM