> Strings theories and quantum field theories are different way to talk about the exact same thing
While I've heard about dualities between different string theories, this is news to me. Could you elaborate in how far QFT (as a meta theory) "contains" string theory?
> String theory proposes that the universe is composed of minuscule objects which vibrate in the manner of the strings of a musical instrument. Like such strings, they have resonant frequencies and harmonics.
Nima Arkani-Hamed has pointed out that the explanation is a completely outdated viewpoint that permeates every popular description of the theory starting from Wikipedia. Brian Greene wrote a very influential book for the public: "The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (1999)" that came out when the second revolution of string theory was happening and the book was outdated already when it was published.
What is now known about string theory is that strings are not a core concept in the framework.
String theory is a framework that has number of dualities, like:
- Strings theories and quantum field theories are different way to talk about the exact same thing.
- AdS/CFT correspondence. What happens in the volume of space can have equal description from different theory that happens in the region that surrounds that volume.