{"record":{"author":{"account_ref":null,"orcid":null},"builds_on":[],"content_schema":"pubphys.content.revision/1","content_sha256":"789e3d644f2716aac75dd04f2bfcc16447de798a1ccb58fb32fad3f2ae32d91e","created":"2026-10-03T07:18:09Z","files":[],"origin":{"assisted_by":[],"kind":"seed"},"parents":["5475cf5dc5b1a72283d26dc95dc6e00d7ea4e00096a7c6492e409a1816eeb011"],"salt":"125005dc3d9d6093ec3cfab90be41695b8937e8681ee0945d428fe99f4f7b496","schema":"pubphys.record/2","site":"pubphys.com","target":null,"type":"revision"},"content":{"answer_type":"identification","assisted_by":[],"external_id":"qft.string-nonperturbative.background-independent","kind":"phenomenon","literature_status":"open","n":"1","parents":[],"plain":"Each known exact definition of string theory assumes a fixed shape of spacetime at infinity. A definition that does not assume a background is missing.","posed_since":"1995","precise":"Exact definitions of string and M-theory exist for asymptotically AdS spacetimes (dual CFTs) and for flat space in light-cone frame (BFSS matrix theory), each tied to asymptotic boundary conditions. Find a formulation whose Hilbert space and observables do not presuppose a background and which contains these as special sectors.","problem_ref":null,"references":"","settled_by":"A formulation from which at least two known exact definitions with different asymptotics are derived as sectors.","status_note":"","title":"Background-independent definition of M-theory","topic_ref":"77b6787c01ad201a13194ef87168eea66a0756da2a9a351dc5d7a1594827efd5"},"attested":{"attestation":{"batch":null,"client_id":null,"id_token_sha256":null,"kind":"platform"},"record_hash":"7782085eaddc39411a355e2fffaea013881adc680060419aa177666914f1ab4e","schema":"pubphys.attested/1"},"envelope":{"attested_hash":"063c28920957604139fd6819fc54296e7c7dcffbd75b765e7787113fc0892e3e","platform_signature":{"key_id":"c6afc19b31429869751f06879c75cd64ea92654423d15b44be775bf1310a60da","sig":"rFjBRmkRDsHL760sHQnDu2R7YhjBSx_ZSE3xG-bfTdCADsxKnZ9JK42hSPOUTf1D7PmaCPiWzpGtsS4Xyv5hAw"},"schema":"pubphys.envelope/1"},"record_hash":"7782085eaddc39411a355e2fffaea013881adc680060419aa177666914f1ab4e","leaf_index":1952}