I have a question for our theoretic SuperUsers. How much knowledge and which fields of physics you have to know to start studying string theory? I am now on QFT, after I think I'll start study Supersymmetry or maybe special cases of QED. How much more should I know to start Strings? :)
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2$\begingroup$ If you've mastered the content of, say, Peskin and Schroeder's text on QFT, you may want to study conformal field theory, and then I would suggest you are ready to learn string theory. A solid background in differential geometry and certain aspects of algebraic geometry/topology will also help. $\endgroup$– JamalSCommented May 24, 2014 at 10:50
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2 Answers
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You need to master algebraic geometry (in particular derived functor cohomology of sheaves, say EGA 1-3), algebraic topology (characteristic classes, say the entire book of Spanier), commutative algebra and algebra in general (say Lang's book and A/M), and also homological algebra (the entire book of Weibel).
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2$\begingroup$ Sorry, could you clear up what A/M means/refers to? $\endgroup$– DanuCommented May 24, 2014 at 11:06
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2$\begingroup$ Atiyah/Macdonald, introduction to commutative algebra (classical text in commutative algebra) $\endgroup$– user37252Commented May 24, 2014 at 12:20
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Probably just Quantum physics and astronomical physics. Those are a couple of the most important fields you should know to start string theory.
