Einstein's theory of gravity presented us with an idea of space and time. In his theory, space and time are combined together, creating space-time of four dimensions--one time and three spatial. In addition, gravity is defined by the curvature of space-time. Particles move through space on geodesics, or the shortest path from one point in space to another; these particles exert an opposite force on space, creating a disturbance of the geometrical structure of space-time.
The fact that the superstring theory contains Einstein theory of gravity, makes the theory an excellent candidate for solving the structure of space-time. Unlike Einstein’s theory, the superstring theory describes gravity in ten dimensions--nine spatial and one of time. To get from the ten string dimensions to our four dimensional world, six need to be hidden in some way. This is accomplished by the curling of the dimensions. These “extra” dimensions are curled up extremely tight along the length of the string. Leading physicists in the field use complicated equations to explain this curling, or hiding. In superstring theory, space-time can be curved by the curling-up of extra dimensions.
While this may be true, it may also be true that our universe is presently in four dimensions, and that as the universe expands over time, the extra dimensions begin to uncurl and reveal themselves.
Strings measure 10-33 cm; this is also called the Planck distance. The Planck distance is the precise place that space-time begins to break down. So to think of point particles moving through space is incorrect; the superstring theory, states that strings are interwoven with space-time.
Theorists have proposed many ideas on how black holes came into existence and formed. It is known that black holes can form when a star, billions of years old, exhausts all of its nuclear fuel, or when too much mass accumulates in one place in space-time. Gravity takes over in both of these situations, thus causing a star or space-time to collapse under its own weight. According to Stephen Hawking, who currently holds Newton’s chair as Lucasion Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, black holes emit particles; black holes evaporate all of their mass and size this way. It is also known that a black hole has the radius of 10-13 cm in size--the size of a proton or a neutron, which the superstring theory explains by the instance of different vibration modes.
Superstring theory can have solutions to singularities in black holes. In Einstein’s theory, singularities are points in space where the structure breaks down and creates an infinite curvature on space-time. During the time a black hole is created [theoretically], as it collapses to a point, there is a tremendous amount of gravitational release of energy; this is what curves space-time. “Conventional theory has it that the gravitational attraction will cause the star to collapse right down to a dimensionless point and along the way create a black hole” (Peat, 127). There are no points in space according to the superstring theory, because space is thought to be made up of strings. So, in a superstring universe, a star could not collapse to a single point in space-time. Since this is true, singularities would not exist, or they could be avoided by the vibration of the string. When a star collapses to 10-33 cm, it does not collapse to a point, rather it reduces to the size of a string. A black hole can never reduce to a dimensionless point-- the black hole will still exist, but there will be no singularity.
“Now in a theory of gravity this means that when you try to describe things at incredibly short distances. . . the fluctuation in energy of what you are looking at might be big enough to make a little black hole” (Green, 123). At these incredibly short distances, it is possible to have many black holes that we can not observe from earth-bound telescopes. In theory, these black holes can rotate around our sun or in the center of the universe. The gravitational suction would be due to the superstrings way of movement and vibration.
Dark matter is a problem for many cosmologists and leading scientists. It is possible that dark matter is an original particle from the big bang. To tell what this matter truly is, we would have to observe it, but superstring theory can hold some very important theories that possibly explain this dark matter.
Many scientists believe that 90% of the universe contains dark matter, but they are not sure what makes it so hard to find and observe. Questions of the structure are left to be solved by a theory that can explain fundamental particles. This is where superstring theory takes over. We can measure, and, for all intents and purposes, theorize about the existance of dark matter, though we can not detect it with our vision on earth, because it may very well be a sea of fluctuating black holes, as explained above, tightly compacted, with an incredible gravitational force. Dark matter is also thought of as blobs or clumps of particles, floating and colliding together, but as we know, particles are explained in the superstring theory not as points, but as strings. In the superstring theory, we also can think of this matter as a higher dimension of space-time. Superstrings are believed to exist in a ten dimensional universe, but to get from that ten to our four, we need to compact the extra six. It is possible to think of dark matter as higher dimensions. Places in space-time where space has not yet rolled out to our four, may be created from the big bang.
Currently, the leading superstring theorists are working towards proving the theory. When the solution is found, and all of the proverbial loose ends are brought together, we could have an explanation of exactly how the universe was created and a description of many other universes. We will, in time, have an even greater understanding of space-time, black holes and what dark matter really is composed of, yet we must understand that proving the superstring theory will take a while, and even when we find the solution to the theory, the solution itself may take decades to comprehend, but in the end, the superstring will be a remarkable breakthrough in physics.
Green, Michael B. “Superstrings.” Particles and Forces, At the Heart of Matter: Readings From Scientific American Magazine. ed. Carrigan, Richard A., and Trower, W. Peter. New York: Freeman and Company, 1990. 193-203
Kaku, Michio. Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. 151-177.
Lindley, David. The End of Physics: The Myth of a Unified Theory. New York: Basic Books, 1993. 222-235.
Mukerjee, Madhusree. “Explaining Everything.” Scientific American. Jan. 1996: 88-94.
Peat, F. David. Superstrings and the Search For the Theory of Everything. Chicago: Contemporary, 1988.
