Science, Tech, Math › Science Definition of 'Brane' Share Flipboard Email Print PASIEKA / Getty Images Science Physics Physics Laws, Concepts, and Principles Quantum Physics Important Physicists Thermodynamics Cosmology & Astrophysics Chemistry Biology Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Andrew Zimmerman Jones Andrew Zimmerman Jones Math and Physics Expert M.S., Mathematics Education, Indiana University B.A., Physics, Wabash College Andrew Zimmerman Jones is a science writer, educator, and researcher. He is the co-author of "String Theory for Dummies." Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on October 22, 2017 In theoretical physics, a brane (short for membrane) is an object which can have any number of allowed dimensions. Branes are most popular for their presence in string theory, where it is a fundamental object, along with the string. String Theory String theory has 9 space dimensions, so a brane can have anywhere from 0 to 9 dimensions. Branes were hypothesized as part of string theory in the late 1980s. In 1995, Joe Polchinski realized that Edward Witten's proposed M-Theory required the existence of branes. Some physicists have proposed that our own universe is, in fact, a 3-dimensional brane, on which we are "stuck" within a larger 9-dimensional space, to explain why we can't perceive the extra dimensions. Also Known As: membrane, D-brane, p-brane, n-brane Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Jones, Andrew Zimmerman. "Definition of 'Brane'." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/brane-2699125. Jones, Andrew Zimmerman. (2023, April 5). Definition of 'Brane'. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/brane-2699125 Jones, Andrew Zimmerman. "Definition of 'Brane'." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/brane-2699125 (accessed June 9, 2023). copy citation Featured Video