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Originally Posted by sesame

how many Strings are there?

In principle there are infinity possibilities of vibrating strings.
The problem is to detect and measure them. The strings are described in 32 dimensions. Until now the dimensions are reduced to 10-, 11- or 26-dimensions in the sting theories. The Branes Jenae talked are a way to reduce the dimensions to our 4 measurable, 3 room and 1 time dimension. Until this happens, the energy of strings is too high.
The other problem is the "bigness" of strings, 10^-35m = 0,0000000000000000000000000000000001m. No one can measure it today.

I'm sure the number of strings is limited strongly by conditions. Until now minimal 18 particles are theoretical known, and then there is vacuum, time, dark energy and dark madder (I'm sure I forgot something). But nobody knows how many.
In the string theory, vibrating strings form everything. Bosons (photons, gravitons, higgs-bosons, ...), leptons (electron, different neutrinos, ...) and Quarks.
Quarks and leptons form fermions. Fermions and bosons form hadrons. Hadrons and fermions form nucleons (proton, neutron). Nucleons and electrons form atoms (elements in the periodic table).

Originally Posted by sesame

So far, we find the smallest particle to be a Photon. Its even lighter and smaller than an electron. Photons are real particles. But then, photons are different as they vibrate in different frequencies.

I never heard someone was able to measure their bigness. But they can only a bit bigger then the string that form it. Their mass is 0, until someone find anti gravitation you can't find something lighter. They can be created and can be destroyed, without noticeable particles. So there must be unknown strings everywhere.

Originally Posted by sesame

Are these strings only a mathematical possibility or are they real, like photons?

You can't say something is real or not until it is proven. No one can prove it today. The string theory and the surrounding theories are not ready. They must develop further. Until now they are the best way to explain the word.
They are not a mathematical possibility, they are fundamental in the string theory. But the theory is only 1 mathematical possibility, but only a theory and not finished.

Originally Posted by randolph

I think all this stuff about string theory is a lot of mathematical hocus pocus.
there is no physical evidence for any of it. I am waiting for the Higgs Boson to arrive in the Large Hadron Collider, then, maybe, we can get a handle on what is going on in the subatomic world.

Also Jenae commented on energy. The Indian mystics contemplated the inner energy in humans and called it kundalini which is the latent female energy in all of us. Much of Tantric meditation involves activating this energy which transcends the ego and produces "enlightenment". Transsexuals and their admirers could be interested in this Tantric Yoga since the male and female energies are intertwined.

I trust the mathematical hocus pocus more than the religious hocus pocus. And as said, it's only a theory.

In Tantra you lose life energy when you ejaculate.