The key open problem of string theory remains its non‐perturbative completion to M‐theory. A decisive hint to its inner workings comes from numerous appearances of higher structures in the limits of M‐theory that are already understood, such as higher degree flux fields and their dualities, or the higher algebraic structures governing closed string field theory. These are all controlled by the higher homotopy theory of derived categories, generalised cohomology theories, and ‐algebras. This is the introductory chapter to the proceedings of the LMS/EPSRC Durham Symposium on ‘Higher Structures in M‐Theory’:

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M理论中的更高结构

弦论的关键开放问题仍然是其对M理论的无扰动补全。对它内部工作原理的决定性提示来自在已被理解的M理论范围内出现的更高结构的众多出现，例如更高次的通量场及其对偶性，或控制闭合弦场理论的更高代数结构。这些都受派生类别的更高同伦理论，广义同调论和代数控制。这是LMS / EPSRC达勒姆研讨会“ M理论中的更高结构”会议记录的介绍性章节：