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arXiv · 2508.09246

Strings from Almost Nothing

Clifford Cheung·Grant N. Remmen·Francesco Sciotti·Michele Tarquini
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Abstract

We argue that string theory emerges inevitably from a few simple assumptions about physical scattering. Consistency alone requires that all tree-level four-point scattering amplitudes exhibit vanishing residues at prescribed values of the momentum transfer. Assuming ultrasoft high-energy behavior, we then prove that the space of minimally consistent amplitudes, whose residues exhibit these mandated zeros and nothing more, collapses uniquely onto the celebrated Veneziano and Virasoro-Shapiro amplitudes of string theory. Similar logic also applies to five-point scattering.

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Clifford Cheung, Grant N. Remmen, Francesco Sciotti, Michele Tarquini. 2025-08-12. Strings from Almost Nothing. https://doi.org/10.1103/cw4p-cqh7

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