I have a tendency, more than most other physicists, to try to figure out everything all at once, before I publish. And even to try to figure out everything in my head, without pencil and paper. Edward Witten figureheadpaper Change image and share on social
We know a lot of things, but what we don't know is a lot more. Edward Witten lotthing Change image and share on social
So when you ask me how string theory might be tested, I can tell you what's likely to happen at accelerators or some parts of the theory that are likely to be tested. Edward Witten acceleratorhappenpart Change image and share on social
There was a long history of speculation that in quantum gravity, unlike Einstein's classical theory, it might be possible for the topology of spacetime to change. Edward Witten changeclassicaleinstein Change image and share on social
Regardless of any deviations, it was clear I was supposed to end up in math and physics. Edward Witten cleardeviationend Change image and share on social
Quantum mechanics brought an unexpected fuzziness into physics because of quantum uncertainty, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Edward Witten bringfuzzinessheisenberg Change image and share on social
Spreading out the particle into a string is a step in the direction of making everything we're familiar with fuzzy. You enter a completely new world where things aren't at all what you're used to. Edward Witten completelydirectionenter Change image and share on social
Even before string theory, especially as physics developed in the 20th century, it turned out that the equations that really work in describing nature with the most generality and the greatest simplicity are very elegant and subtle. Edward Witten 20thcenturydescribe share on social
As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So in physics, lots of the basic building blocks take 20th- or perhaps 21st-century equipment to explore. Edward Witten 20th21stbasic share on social
