What is M-theory?
{{String theory}} '''M-theory''' is an [[idea]] in small-particle [[physics]] that is part of '''[[w:superstring theory|superstring theory]]''' that was initially proposed in 1995 by Edward Witten. The idea, or theory, often causes arguments among scientists, because there is no way to test it to see if it is true. If ever proven true, M-theory and [[string theory]] would mean big progress for science. <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Duff |first1=Michael |date=1998 |title=The theory formerly known as strings |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_scientific-american_1998-02_278_2/page/64 |journal=Scientific American |volume=278 |issue=2 |pages=64–9 |doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0298-64|bibcode=1998SciAm.278b..64D }}</ref> ==String theory== To understand M-theory one must first have some knowledge of [[string theory]]. For hundreds of years, [[scientist]]s have thought that the simplest objects in the [[universe]] are points, like dots. String theory says that this is wrong and that the simplest objects in the universe are shaped like pieces of string. These strings are so small that even when looked at very closely they look like points. Each [[elementary particle]] is created by the strings [[vibration|vibrating]] in different patterns. The reason scientists had not thought of this idea for so long is that strings are much harder to work with than points. They seem to break such rules as [[causality]] and [[special relativity]], which says that information cannot travel faster than the [[speed of light]]. String theory has been developed because of a very important problem that has existed for almost 100 years. [[Albert Einstein]]'s theory describes the universe on very large scales (it is called [[general relativity]]), and it disagrees with two theories that describe things on very small scale (they are called [[quantum mechanics]] and the [[standard model]]). There are also problems with the Standard Model: it includes about 20 numbers that seem to have no explanation; it has too many ''basic particles'' - some