The Continuity or Discreteness of Space-time

Abstract

General relativity and quantum field theory have always held opposite views on the continuum and the dispersion of space-time. Scientists have debated this for nearly a century. This paper reviews the basis of general relativity and quantum field theory on the continuity and discreteness of space-time in a unified viewpoint, describing what both stand for in this discussion point and their respective experimental evidence to illustrate their plausibility. By using mathematical reasoning and figures to help describe and apply string theory's ideas, this paper describes the universe as a wave. Based on this, a new conjecture of the unified field theory is obtained: space-time is described as a piecewise function, which presents different states under different conditions. In the normal state, the continuous wave appears, and in the energy exchange with the outside world, it is transformed into a discrete particle state. Space-time is similar to the waves described in string theory, but it is more similar to electromagnetic waves, taking on an ever-changing form.