The last year or so I've been reading about string theory and how it is able to explain both quantum mechanics and general relativity.
What have you been reading? Brian Greene is very good.
The last comment posted on Irunfar is pretty good and makes sense to me
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Yes, quite interesting, though surprising to me.
Not sure how this fits into the discussion - But it does some how - Tragic
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/running/trail-running/Michael-Popovs-Last-Run.html?page=1
Yes, am reading The Elegant Universe by Greene. Well written and easy to understand
Also have read: The Grand Design (Hawking) no math but explains how we got to M-theory
The Road to Reality (Roger Penrose) detailed but quite technical (I was a math major in college but it's still difficult)
QED The Strange Theory of Light and Matter (Feynman) well it's Feynman, don't need to say more.
The Black Hole War (Susskind) well worth the read about cosmology and black holes as well as personalities.
...so none of that Shades of Grey stuff...
Yes, am reading The Elegant Universe by Greene. Well written and easy to understand Also have read: The Grand Design (Hawking) no math but explains how we got to M-theory The Road to Reality (Roger Penrose) detailed but quite technical (I was a math major in college but it's still difficult) QED The Strange Theory of Light and Matter (Feynman) well it's Feynman, don't need to say more. The Black Hole War (Susskind) well worth the read about cosmology and black holes as well as personalities.
Ah, all excellent choices. It's a long road to make it through The Road to Reality. Honestly, I think much of the material could have been presented a lot more clearly. When I was finishing my Ph.D. at MIT, my advisor (CS, but also teaches physics) held a weekly reading group to work through the book. I don't think they made it more than about halfway through. I've also made it about halfway through, twice, a few years apart. The most recent time, I put it down and bought some books on manifolds. Then I got too busy...
The other Greene books, Fabric of the Cosmos and The Hidden Reality, are also great. If you like Susskind, I recommend The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design. You might also like The Little Book of String Theory by Gubser.
But to really understand string theory... probably you will have to dive into Polchinski. That is serious stuff. Making it through The Road to Reality might be adequate preparation. Or having a solid foundation in QFT and GR.
Love to meet you and hash through some of this during an ultra! Come to the midwest!
Will definitely look at the choices you suggested.
Really, I'm more of a dabbler; but find I understand enough to make it interesting.
Duly impressed re. MIT!