Stringing us along

Did anyone else see the programme called 'Welcome To The 11th Dimension' on C4 on Sunday evening, all about string theory? Parallel worlds, branes, gravitrons - seriously mind-blowing shit. It's not surprising those who propound the theory aren't quite sure whether it's physics or philosophy. What made me dubious, though, is the way it seems to be able to explain several of the key mysteries of physics, including the Big Bang and the weakness of gravity - it all sounded as if these "boffins" (copyright The Sun) had sat down and written a lovely story which would make it all make sense. The crucial point is how do you actually verify this theory? How could you possibly test its hypotheses? As some of the interviewees conceded, it might all turn out to be a load of fantasy and nonsense. Intriguing fantasy and nonsense, all the same, though.