From the Nambu-Goto the Sigma-Model Action, Memoirs from Long Ago

TL;DR

This paper recounts personal experiences and historical context from the early days of string theory, highlighting the challenges and discoveries made by pioneers in the field.

Contribution

It provides a reflective account of the initial development of the Nambu-Goto and Sigma-Model actions in string theory, emphasizing the learning process and conceptual breakthroughs.

Findings

Historical insights into early string theory research

Personal reflections on conceptual discoveries

Contextual understanding of the field's development

Abstract

In this article I describe my own stumblings in the first string era. This was a time when most of the active people were very young, not very knowledgeable and the field was completely new. Many of us had little training for what we came to work on, and it took quite some time to accomplish the new conceptual discoveries.