Abstract
We review the status of string theory as a quantum theory of gravity. Our emphasis is on outstanding questions and remaining challenges rather then on well-established results and successes.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Polchinski J.: String Theory, vols. 1, 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1998)
Becker K., Becker M., Schwarz J.H.: String Theory and M-Theory: A Modern Introduction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2007)
Kiritsis E.: String Theory in a Nutshell. Princeton University Press, Princeton (2007)
Graña M.: Flux compactifications in string theory: a comprehensive review. Phys. Rep. 423, 91 (2006) arXiv:hep-th/0509003
Adam, I.: Superstring Perturbation Theory. These Proceedings
Aharony O., Gubser S., Maldacena J., Ooguri H., Oz Y.: Large N field theories, string theory and gravity. Phys. Rept. 323, 183 (2000) arXiv:hep-th/9905111
Peet, A.W.: TASI Lectures on Black Holes in String Theory. arXiv:hep-th/0008241
David J., Mandal G., Wadia S.: Microscopic Formulation of Black Holes in String Theory. Phys. Rept. 369, 549–686 (2002) arXiv:hep-th/0203048
Horowitz, G.T., Polchinski, J.: Gauge/Gravity Duality. arViv:gr-qc/0602037
Sen, A.: Black Hole Entropy Function, Attractors and Precision Counting of Microstates. arXiv:0708. 1270
Wadia, S.: String Theory: A Framework for Quantum Gravity and Various Applications. arXiv:0809. 1036
Marolf, D.: Black Holes, AdS, and CFTs. In: These Proceedings. arXiv:0810:4886 [gr-qc]
Mathur S.: The fuzzball proposal for black holes: an elementary review. Fortsch. Phys. 53, 793–827 (2005) arXiv:hep-th/0502050
Skenderis, K., Taylor, M.: The fuzzball proposal for black holes. arXiv:0804.0552 [hep-th]
Mathur, S.: What Exactly is the Information Paradox? arXiv:0803.2030 [hep-th]; Fuzzballs and the information paradox: a summary and conjectures, arXiv:0810.4525 [hep-th]
Bena, I., Warner, N.P.: Black Holes, Black Rings and Their Microstates. arXiv:hep-th/0701216
Seiberg, N.: Emergent Spacetime. arXiv:hep-th/0601234
Damour, T., Nicolai, H.: Symmetries, Singularities and the De-Emergence of Space. arXiv:0705. 2643 [hep-th]
Henneaux, M., Persson, D., Spindel, P.: Spacelike Singularities and Hidden Symmetries of Gravity. Living Rev. Rel. 11, 1 (2008). arXiv:0710.1818 [hep-th]
Cook, P.P.: Connections between Kac–Moody algebras and M-theory. arXiv:0711.3498 [hep-th]
Pioline, B.: Lectures on on Black Holes, Topological Strings and Quantum Attractors (2.0). arXiv:hep-th/0607227
Rozali, M.: Comments on Background Independence and Gauge Redundancies. arXiv:0809.3962
McAllister, L., Silverstein, E.: String Cosmology: A Review. arXiv:0710.2951 [hep-th]
Hollands, S., Wald, R.: Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime, the Operator Product Expansion, and Dark Energy. arXiv:0805.3419
Gasperini M.: Elements of String Cosmology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2007)
Brandenberger, R.: String Gas Cosmology. arXiv:0808.0746 [hep-th]
Cornalba L., Costa M.: Time-dependent orbifolds and string cosmology. Fortsch. Phys. 52, 145–199 (2004) arXiv:hep-th/0310099
Berkooz, M., Reichmann, D.: A Short Review of Time Dependent Solutions and Space-like Singularities in String Theory. arXiv:0705.2146 [hep-th]
Craps, B.: Big Bang Models in String Theory. arXiv:hep-th/0605199
Craps, B., Hertog, T., Turok, N.: Quantum Resolution of Cosmological Singularities using AdS/CFT. arXiv:0712.4180 [hep-th]
Craps, B., Sethi, S., Verlinde, E.P.: A Matrix Big Bang. arXiv:hep-th/0506180
Blau M., O’Loughlin M.: DLCQ and plane wave matrix big bang models. JHEP 0809, 097 (2008) arXiv:0806.3255 [hep-th]
Aref’eva I.Y.: Stringy model of cosmological dark energy. AIP Conf. Proc. 957, 297 (2007) arXiv:0710.3017 [hep-th]
Acknowledgments
The work of M.B. has been supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and by the EU under contract MRTN-CT-2004-005104; S.T. acknowledges support from the German-Israeli Project Cooperation (DIP H.52).
Open Access
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution,and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Open Access This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
About this article
Cite this article
Blau, M., Theisen, S. String theory as a theory of quantum gravity: a status report. Gen Relativ Gravit 41, 743–755 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-008-0752-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-008-0752-z