Source: Garrett Lisi interview, Cjean42, Wikimedia Commons

Source: Garrett Lisi surfing, Cjean42, Wikimedia Commons

Recently, the work of a non-traditional physicist has been causing some debate. Dr. A. Garret Lisi, a self-proclaimed surfing physicist, proposed what is called the E8 Theory of Everything. Current science notes that there are four fundamental forces in the universe: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear forces.

For decades, scientists have been trying to understand how these forces work with one another in the universe. Dr. Lisi’s E8 Theory of Everything proposes one hypothesis about how these forces work together. While his proposal is still controversial and has many areas to be sorted out (and even Dr. Lisi notes that it may not work out in the end), it has had an impact on the scientific community.

Source: LisiE8, Jgmoxness, Wikimedia Commons

In the following sections, you will look at the research of scientists, like Dr. Lisi, related to the four fundamental forces. You will also examine the four fundamental forces more closely and learn about the research and history that has led scientists to understand more about them.