The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory is a book by Brian Greene which introduces string theory and provides a comprehensive though non-technical assessment of the theory and some of its shortcomings.

Beginning with a brief consideration of classical physics, which concentrates on the major conflicts in physics, Greene establishes a historical context for string theory as a necessary means of integrating the probabilistic world of the standard model of particle physics and the deterministic Newtonian physics of the macroscopic world. Greene uses frequent analogy and the construction of mental experiments to provide a means for individuals with limited knowledge of physics to come to terms with a theory which, according to Greene, has the possibility to create a unified theory of physics.

The Elegant Universe was converted for television broadcast on the PBS series Nova.

External link

(PBS Nova site on "The Elegant Universe")