Related papers: Is String Theory in Knots?
N=2 heterotic strings may provide a window into the physics of M-theory radically different than that found via the other supersymmetric string theories. In addition to their supersymmetric structure, these strings carry a four-dimensional…
We briefly review superstring theories, highlighting the important concepts, developments, and open problems of the subject.
We review the current status of the singularity problem in string theory for non-experts. After the problem is discussed from the point of view of supergravity, we discuss classic examples and recent examples of singularity resolution in…
We propose a new, precise integrality conjecture for the colored Kauffman polynomial of knots and links inspired by large N dualities and the structure of topological string theory on orientifolds. According to this conjecture, the natural…
The roles that spin networks play in gauge theories, quantum gravity and topological quantum field theory are briefly described, with an emphasis on the question of the relationships among them. It is argued that spin networks and their…
A low energy string theory should reduce to an ordinary quantum field theory, but in reality the structures of the two are so different as to make the equivalence obscure. The string formalism is more symmetrical between the spacetime and…
Heterotic string theory has nonsupersymmetric branes whose existence is suggested by the cobordism conjecture. We numerically construct static, spherically symmetric, and asymptotically flat black brane solutions in ten-dimensional…
String theory developed by demanding consistency with quantum mechanics. In this paper we wish to reverse the reasoning. We pretend open string field theory is a fully consistent definition of the theory - it is at least a self consistent…
A polynomial is presented that models a topological knot in a unique manner. It distinguishes all types of knots including the orientation and has a group theory interpretation. The topologies may be labeled via a number, which upon a base…
After a review of some topics concerning the phenomenological applications of perturbative string theory, I discuss to what extent all of it is affected by the recent developements in string dualities.
We review recent developments in the theory of Thompson group representations related to knot theory.
Determining when two knots are equivalent (more precisely isotopic) is a fundamental problem in topology. Here we formulate this problem in terms of Predicate Calculus, using the formulation of knots in terms of braids and some basic…
A review of various aspects of superstrings in background electromagnetic fields is presented. Topics covered include the Born-Infeld action, spectrum of open strings in background gauge fields, the Schwinger mechanism, finite-temperature…
A virtual string is a scheme of self-intersections of a closed curve on a surface. We study algebraic invariants of strings as well as two equivalence relations on the set of strings: homotopy and cobordism. We show that the homotopy…
An overview is given of the way in which the unification program of particle physics has evolved into the proposal of superstring theory as a prime candidate for unifying quantum gravity with the other forces and particles of nature. A key…
In any string theory there is a hidden, twisted superconformal symmetry algebra, part of which is made up by the BRST current and the anti-ghost. We investigate how this algebra can be systematically constructed for strings with $N\!-\!2$…
A discrete string theory --a theory of embeddings from ${\bf Z}\times {\bf Z}_C\to {\bf R}^D$, where $C$ is the number of components of the string-- is explored. The closure of the algebra of constraints (`${\bf Z}_C$-Virasoro algebra') is…
This is an introductory article on high dimensional knots for the beginners. High dimensional knot theory is an exciting field. It is a field of knot theory, which is one of topology and is connected with many ones. In this article we use…
We explore two different problems in string theory in which duality relates an ordinary p-form in one theory to a self-dual (p+1)-form in another theory. One problem involves comparing D4-branes to M5-branes, and the other involves…
In these lectures we review the basic ideas of perturbative and non-perturbative string theory. On the non-perturbative side we give an introduction to D-branes and string duality. The elementary concepts of non-BPS branes and…