Theory of Everything

How do things work?

This incredibly innocent question has led scientists down a centuries-long path, leading to a set of a limited number of rules (laws of physics) that govern everything.

The number of rules continues to dwindle. How? Each rule has the potential to merge with another rule, as it eventually turns out to be a part of the same phenomenon.

Having 50 equations that tell you how things work is useful, but what if you could get this number down to five? How about four? What’s the smallest number of rules you could have that describes how the universe is governed?

Taking a complex phenomenon and explaining why it happens at a very simple level has incredible value for humanity. If we know how things work at a fundamental basis, we understand things well enough to predict outcomes. If we can predict outcomes, we may also be able to manipulate them. By understanding the laws of physics, we can do much more to make life better.

It’s no wonder that great thinkers have been worki…