Imagine you are sitting in a big symphony hall, and you’re listening to an orchestra play for the first time. The orchestra is performing a Violin Concerto by Beethoven. As the soloist runs her hands ...

Evidence that the universe is made of strings has been elusive for 30 years, but the theory’s mathematical insights continue to have an alluring pull Brian Greene Contributing Writer In October 1984 I ...

Two USC researchers used string field theory to try to validate quantum mechanics. Photo/astrophysics.pro In the search for one unified theory that explains all phenomena in the observable universe, ...

How precisely does an acoustic guitar or violin produce its sweet sound? There is a simple, centuries-old way to literally "see" the vibrational patterns that cause the guitar to resonate and produce ...

What's the physical mechanism behind the distinctive sound of a banjo? David Politzer — probably better known for his work on quantum chromodynamics than his passion for banjos — may not be the first ...

Much to the delight of the mainstream media, there's a battle royal going on in physics. Over recent months, a fair bit of mud has been slung in the theoretical physics community over the issue of ...

A string is driven by a function generator that is attached to an oscillator. By adjusting the frequency of the oscillation, the string can be used to demonstrate standing waves. A strobe light is ...

In October 1984 I arrived at Oxford University, trailing a large steamer trunk containing a couple of changes of clothing and about five dozen textbooks. I had a freshly minted bachelor’s degree in ...