Why do people believe in the string theory? Why strings?

Question

Why not tiny vibrating cubes or blobs?

Answer 1

You're quite right, why not vibrating cubes or spheres, etc.?

The reason is a string is simpler than cubes or blobs, and can be mathematically modelled. Of course, more importantly, the theoritical results of using just vibrating "strings" was sufficient to create a unified field theory, i.e. a theory that included quantum gravity as well as the Standard Model (theory that describes all other fundamental forces such as EM, Strong and Weak). Because String theory is able to produce all these essential features, physicists didn't need to go further and use vibrating cubes or other shapes.

However, I would add that String theorists eventually did adjust String Theory to include "branes", which are exactly what you have suggested. These are higher dimensional objects (2 or more, where strings are 1 dimensional) that vibrates in the 11 dimensional bulk space.

Answer 2

People don't 'believe in' string theory. It's a mathematical concept that is being investigated to see if it can help explain how the universe works. The word 'string' is the closest word we have for a one-dimensional construct. String theory isn't even very close to saying what this one-dimensional construct really is. It's the simplest candidate on which to build this kind of theory. M-brane theory goes somewhat beyond this to multidimensional surfaces.

Answer 3

a string is 1 dimensional