-- 144 --

Notwithstanding brane democracy, strings—one-dimensional extended objects—are special for the following reason. Physicists
have shown that the mass of the extended objects of every dimension except for one-dimensional strings is inversely proportional
to the value of the associated string coupling constant when we are in any of the five string regions of Figure 12.11. This means
that with weak string coupling, in any of the five formulations, all but the strings will be enormously massive—orders of
magnitude heavier than the Planck mass. Because they are so heavy and, therefore, from E = mc2, require such unimaginably high
energy to be produced, branes have only a small effect on much of physics (but not on all, as we shall see in the next chapter).
However, when we venture outside the peninsular regions of Figure 12.11, the higher-dimensional branes become lighter and
hence increasingly important.110

And so, the image you should have in mind is the following. In the central region of Figure 12.11, we have a theory whose
fundamental ingredients are not just strings or membranes, but rather "branes" of a variety of dimensions, all more or less on equal
footing. Currently, we do not have a firm grasp on many essential features of this full theory. But one thing we do know is that as
we move from the central region to any of the peninsular regions, only the strings (or membranes curled up to look ever more like
strings, as in Figures 12.7 and 12.8) are light enough to make contact with physics as we know it—the particles of Table 1.1 and
the four forces through which they interact. The perturbative analyses string theorists have made use of for close to two decades
have not been refined enough to discover even the existence of the super-massive extended objects of other dimensions; strings
dominated the analyses and the theory was given the far-from-democratic name of string theory. Again, in these regions of Figure
12.11 we are justified, for most considerations, in ignoring all but the strings. In essence, this is what we have done so far in this
book. We see now, though, that in actuality the theory is more rich than anyone previously imagined.

Does Any of This Solve the Unanswered Questions in String Theory?

Yes and no. We have managed to deepen our understanding by breaking free of certain conclusions that, in retrospect, were a
consequence of perturbative approximate analyses rather than true string physics. But the current scope of our nonperturbative
tools is quite limited. The discovery of the remarkable web of duality relations affords us far greater insight into string theory, but
many issues remain unresolved. At present, for example, we do not know how to go beyond the approximate equations for the
value of the string coupling constant—equations that, as we have seen, are too coarse to give us any useful information. Nor do we
have any greater insight into why there are precisely three extended spatial dimensions, or how to choose the detailed form for the
curled-up dimensions. These questions require more sharply honed nonperturbative methods than we currently possess.

What we do have is a far deeper understanding of the logical structure and theoretical reach of string theory. Prior to the
realizations summarized in Figure 12.11, the strong coupling behavior of each string theory was a black box, a complete mystery.
As on maps of old, the realm of strong coupling was uncharted territory, potentially filled with dragons and sea monsters. But now
we see that although the journey to strong coupling may take us through unfamiliar regions of M-theory, it ultimately lands us back
in the comfortable surrounds of weak coupling—albeit in the dual language of what was once thought to be a different string
theory.

Duality and M-theory unite the five string theories and they suggest an important conclusion. It may well be that there aren't other
surprises, on par with the ones just discussed, that are awaiting our discovery. Once a cartographer can fill in every region on a
spherical globe of the earth, the map is done and geographical knowledge is complete. That's not to say explorations in Antarctica
or on an isolated island in Micronesia are without scientific or cultural merit. It only means that the age of geographic discovery is
over. The absence of blank spots on the globe ensures this. The "theory map" of Figure 12.11 plays a similar role for string
theorists. It covers the entire range of theories that can be reached by setting sail from any one of the five string constructions.
Although we are far from a full understanding of the terra incognita of M-theory, there are no blank regions on the map. Like the
cartographer, the string theorist can now claim with guarded optimism that the spectrum of logically sound theories incorporating
the essential discoveries of the past century—special and general relativity; quantum mechanics; gauge theories of the strong,
weak, and electromagnetic forces; supersymmetry; extra dimensions of Kaluza and Klein—is fully mapped out by Figure 12.11.

The challenge to the string theorist—or perhaps we should say the M-theorist—is to show that some point on the theory map of
Figure 12.11 actually describes our universe. To do this requires finding the full and exact equations whose solution will pick out
this elusive point on the map, and then understanding the corresponding physics with sufficient precision to allow comparisons
with experiment. As Witten has said, "Understanding what M-theory really is—the physics it embodies—would transform our

110
We should note, though, that even in the peninsular regions there are some exotic ways in which branes can have an effect on familiar physics. For example, it has been suggested that
our three extended spatial dimensions might themselves be a three-brane that is large and unfurled. If so, as we go about our daily business we would be gliding through the interior of a
three-dimensional membrane. Investigations of such possibilities are now being undertaken.