Exploring String Theory: A University Student's Guide

[Sonko]

Hi everyone,
I'm soon going to be performing a project that looks at quantum turbulence of 3He and 4He, and more specifically how it decays over time depending on the vortex density and temperature. I’ve done much research into the low temperature part of my project however I’ve never had a single lecture on string theory. While I understand it can be a contentious issue I would like to expand my knowledge on the subject so would like to know if any of you could recommend some books or sources on the subject.

I'm a 4th year university student so I don’t need a completely dumbed down version, however like i said I’ve never even had a single lecture on the subject

Thanks for any help you can give me :D

 

[Kevin_Axion]

The most common starting point for the average person when beginning the adventure to understand Superstring Theory is most likely Briane Greene's The Elegant Universe. After that people tend to read Barton Zwiebach's A First Course in String Theory followed by Michael Green and Ed Witten's Superstring Theory: Volume 2, Loop Amplitudes, Anomalies and Phenomenology (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)/Superstring Theory: Volume 1, Introduction (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics) . You can also read Joseph Polchinski's String Theory, Vol. 1 : An Introduction to the Bosonic String (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)/String Theory, Vol. 2 : Superstring Theory and Beyond (Cambridge) . Before beginning the books succeeding Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe it is almost necessary to have a strong grasp of Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity. The Books tend to begin with Bosonic String and move to Superstring Theory - some may touch upon M-Theory.
1. Briane Greene's The Elegant Universe.
2. Barton Zwiebach's A First Course in String Theory
3. Michael Green and Ed Witten's Superstring Theory: Volume 2, Loop Amplitudes, Anomalies and Phenomenology (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)/Superstring Theory: Volume 1, Introduction (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
4. Joseph Polchinski's String Theory, Vol. 1 : An Introduction to the Bosonic String (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)/String Theory, Vol. 2 : Superstring Theory and Beyond (Cambridge)

Amazon provides a detailed outline:

Good Luck

 

[petergreat]

There is not much point learning string theory if you haven't learned quantum field theory and general relativity... Besides, QFT and GR are established theories while string theory is an ongoing research program.

 

[arivero]

While string theory is possibly right, I doubt that the classic program will be of some help, a lot of students had taken it in the last ten or fifteen years and the results are completely unproductive.

Possibly what is needed is a new approach from the original publications (SUGRA, Dual Theories, Kaluza Klein, etc from 1970 to 1985) plus an update on M-theory and Duality.