The Quest for a Unified Theory of Particles and Forces

Physicists dream of a single theory that explains all particles and forces in the universe.
Today, the Standard Model covers three forces: strong, weak, and electromagnetic.
Gravity remains the odd one out, not yet unified with the other forces.
A unified theory would merge all four into a “theory of everything.”
Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) aim to combine the strong, weak, and electromagnetic forces.
String theory and loop quantum gravity are bold candidates for unification.
The discovery of the Higgs boson was a step toward understanding force unification.
Unification could explain cosmic mysteries like dark matter and dark energy.
Experiments at the Large Hadron Collider test clues pointing beyond the Standard Model.
The quest for unification is one of science’s greatest unfinished journeys.