Does String Theory Solve the Mystery of the Brain?

image via New Scientist

January 14, 2026, 2:30 PM

• •String theory math is used to describe the wiring of a brain’s neurons.
• •The study focuses on how physical networks optimize for minimal surface area.
• •The model utilizes covariant closed string field theory.
• •The model's results were tested on networks of neurons, blood vessels, tree branches and corals.
• •The study is a step in understanding how brains and other physical networks wire themselves.

A new study suggests that the mathematical tools developed in string theory can help explain the wiring of neurons in the brain and other physical networks. Researchers found that string theory's math, specifically covariant closed string field theory, models the surface area optimization in networks like the brain more accurately than classical methods. The study compared the model to high-resolution 3D scans of neurons, blood vessels, and tree branches. While the implications for consciousness remain uncertain, the research provides a new way to understand how physical networks organize themselves.

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