The Search for Dark Energy

may's issue of symmetry magazine is a joy to read, it's got lots of good stuff, including a nice article about the search for dark energy (my current research area) and a nice stringy article featuring a debate between brian greene and lawrence krauss. always entertaining, those two. and, with cartoons by new yorker cartoonist roz chast, there's even something for those who refuse to read. (image credit: symmetry magazine)

Philandering String Theorist Can Explain Everything

Cribsheet: String Theory

confused about what string theorists actually mean when they claim the fundamental constituents of everything are tiny little strings? how many dimensions does string theory require again? what's all the fuss about, anyway, and why do so many physicists think string theory is nonsense?

well, i don't think the answers to these questions are simple enough to be answered on one "cribsheet," but it is a good start. seed's previous cribsheets have addressed topics like stem cells, climate change, and the avian flu, and now it's string theory's turn. if you're still curious, and are not mathematically inclined, check out the "official string theory website." (cult value just increased substantially.)