Afterwards, police fired tear gas and "flash bang" grenades near the main plaza, where Occupy Wall Street protesters have been camping.

BBC: US Occupy protesters clash with police at Oakland port

The strings predicted by string theory are so small and convoluted that unwrapping them would require energies that have not existed since shortly after the Big Bang. (This is the main reason why string theory remains just a theory.) Dr Arkani-Hamed's loops, however, may be observable with existing equipment.

ECONOMIST: A matter of gravity