The essential idea behind string theory is this: all the various particles "core" of the Standard Model are really just different manifestations of a basic object: a string. How can this be? Well, normally we would imagine that an electron, for example, is a "dot" with no internal structure. A point can not do anything but move. But if string theory is correct, using a "microscope" very strong we would realize that the electron is not really a point, but a small "loop", a cuerdita. A string can do something besides moving --- can vary in different ways. If it oscillates in a certain way, then, from afar, unable to discern who is really a string, we see an electron. But if it oscillates differently, then we see a photon, or a quark, or any other standard model particles. So, if string theory is correct, the world is made only of strings!
Perhaps most striking about string theory is that a simple idea works --- it is possible to get (an extension of) the standard model (which has been verified experimentally with extraordinary precision) from a theory strings. But it is important to clarify that so far, no experimental evidence that string theory itself is the correct description of the world around us. This is mainly due to the fact that string theory is still under development. We know some of its parts, but still not the complete structure, and therefore can not yet make specific predictions. In recent years there have been many extremely important and encouraging developments, which have dramatically improved our understanding of the theory.
Perhaps most striking about string theory is that a simple idea works --- it is possible to get (an extension of) the standard model (which has been verified experimentally with extraordinary precision) from a theory strings. But it is important to clarify that so far, no experimental evidence that string theory itself is the correct description of the world around us. This is mainly due to the fact that string theory is still under development. We know some of its parts, but still not the complete structure, and therefore can not yet make specific predictions. In recent years there have been many extremely important and encouraging developments, which have dramatically improved our understanding of the theory.
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