"In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. It describes how these strings propagate through space and interact with each other." -- Wikipedia.
https://www.quora.com/Does-energy-span-physical-space
https://www.quora.com/How-are-the-Riemann-Hypothesis-RH-and-String-Theory-related
One dimensional objects are not observed anywhere in nature. Strings are just an idea of locations best represented physically as the intersection of two surfaces. Vibration modes can be made to represent fundamental particles, depending on the character of the intersecting sources.
Infinities are not observed in nature either. There is no way to measure them. So in principle the structure of scientific theory cannot be derived from infinities.
The soundness of string theory is debatable. It needs 26 dimensions or a super symmetry of 12 dimensions. A family of Dark Matter particles is essential in the super symmetry, but the Dark Matter particles have not been found. I give the 26 dimensions a better chance of success.
For your question the answer should be no. Infinities do not help a physical theory.
@Jerry Decker
Thanks! Hmm. But physical space cannot exists without energy, and if space is infinite, then energy must be infinite too. Please keep an open mind about this stuff... And think energy level field theory too.
No, because the two parts of the statement don't have anything to do with each other. (Incidentally, the quote from Wikipedia is so inaccurate to make it meaningless-and doesn't have anything to do with the question.)
as physicists saw that 1-dim strings do not solve their problems they introduced more-dimensional ones, which (in my opinion) won`t give the expected solutions.
I thought that cosmologists plan with energy zero
Relevant energy scale of string theory is the Planck scale which is 1019 GeV or so; which is quite far from being infinite. Furthermore it is more convenient to discuss energy per unit length of a string (so called string tension) rather than total energy of the universe itself. String tension is a fundamental parameter of this theory.
Stan Nicolas' answer is correct. I would add that only empirically testable concepts should be focused on. How would anyone prove empirically that the universe had infinite energy? The concept seems ill-defined from the empirical perspective.
The Wikipedia quote does point out that string theory is a THEORETICAL framework. You cannot empirically validate such a theory using another empirically unproven concept. It is important in science to distinguish between what can be done in the laboratory and what is imagined could be done.
At this time any discussion about string theory concepts should be made in the context of the verdict cast on it since August 2016 at this “summit” meeting held in Copenhagen, in light of the definitive LHC results concerning Supersymmetry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypKB7-o9s00
Please keep this momentous event in physics as part of your records, if you have not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypKB7-o9s00
David,
The energy span theorized in the String Hypothesis implies the existence of superpartner HE particles below the putative Planck scale. At the darn high energies that the LHC could achieve, the super partners should have shown up, but they didn’t. So the energy scale reaching the infinite that you suggest in your question, is even less plausible (high is the bottom of the scale).
The notion of infinite energy that you suggest is best conceptualized in terms of the density or energy density of the vacuum instead of the wide-scale spread of the vacuum. That takes you to the ultimate problem known as the “vacuum catastrophe”, which is the huge disparity in the computed value of the vacuum energy density in relativistic cosmology and that obtained in Quantum Theory.
I believe I have fruitfully addressed the problem of this derivation in my paper “Final Cure to the Tribulation of the Vacuum in Quantum Theory”.
Lastly let me state that infinite space in the large-scale cosmos does not mean infinite energy, to the extent that space is internally dynamical at ground state (zero-point energy), no more than thermodynamic temperature of a wide spread material or medium would be infinite.
Article A Final Cure to the Tribulations of the Vacuum in Quantum Theory
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