Hello, SFIA audio listeners.

In this month's Nebula exclusive, big alien theory,

we're asked at the reason alien civilizations might be rare is because most aliens are huge.

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check out go.nebola.tv slash Isaac Arthur and use my code, Isaac Arthur.

String theory is a complex and fascinating my code, Isaac Arthur.

String theory is a complex and fascinating way of describing the universe, but one that can give people headaches to try to figure out. Nonetheless, it can be understood and without a lot

of math. So, grab your coffee and your Tylenol as we seek to unravel the secrets of the universe.

Today we're looking at string theory along with its mini-variance.

Our goal is to explain it in a detailed and nuanced way without without resorting to the usual simplifications found

in popular science explanations, or at least to delve deeper into those analogies where

are necessary. A complete understanding does truly require advanced math, which we will even

discuss a bit of today. But unless you're wanting to actually do calculations and particle

physics yourself, I don't

think that degree is needed, and I think we can bridge a lot more of the gap than most

explanations usually do.

I want to start with two big points up front.

First, there's a tendency to assuming fundamental particles like electrons and quarks are

built out of smaller

strings, that they are the particles those bigger particles are made of.

That is not the idea.

It's not one yet smaller building block, which might itself have smaller bits too.

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