Chapter Eight, More Dimensions than Meet the Eye Summary and Analysis

In 1919, Theodor Kaluza suggested to Einstein that the universe may contain more than just the three apparent dimensions: "the spatial fabric of our universe may have both extended and curled-up dimensions" (p. 188). In other words, in addition to the three large, extended dimensions, there are tiny, curled-up dimensions that are relevant on the quantum mechanic level, perhaps as small as the Planck length. This theory is known as the Kaluza-Klein Theory. In the search for equations to solidify his theory, Kaluza united Maxwell's theory of light with Einstein's theory of gravity by suggesting both are carried by ripples in space: gravity carried by the three known dimensions, and electromagnetism by the new, curled-up dimensions. In the mid-1970s, Kaluza's theory was upgraded to include even more forces...