"In a nutshell, string theory is a sprawling realm of theoretical physics that assumes that tiny vibrating strings are the fundamental basis of reality. If valid, it offers ways for unifying the quantum mechanics that govern the universe on small scales with the gravitational force that shapes the cosmos at larger scales. But the proposed strings are so unimaginably minuscule, and their associated math is so difficult and diverse, that the theory is widely considered to be experimentally unverifiable."
"Consciousness, meanwhile, is a notoriously slippery and ill-defined thing, but it generally seems to be an emergent property of biology, such as assemblages of neurons within our brains. No meaningful overlap exists between these vastly disparate domains. Or does it? A new paper, published last week in Nature, posits that some of the arcane math of string theory actually helps explain the wiring of a brain's neuronsas well as the branching of other physical networks such as tree limbs, blood vessels and anthills."
String theory posits tiny vibrating strings as the fundamental basis of reality and aims to unify quantum mechanics with gravity. The strings are unimaginably small and the associated mathematics is difficult and diverse, leaving the theory widely regarded as experimentally unverifiable. Consciousness generally appears to be an emergent biological property arising from assemblies of neurons. Mathematical techniques developed in string-theory contexts can be applied to describe branching patterns in neuronal wiring and other physical networks like tree limbs, blood vessels and anthills, offering descriptive power without asserting a direct, fundamental connection between physics and consciousness.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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