[mahranch]

Except the question remains unanswered. "Untestable" is basically a grey area. There's "untestable right this minute, but in 5, 10 or 20 years it will be testable", then there's "we can probably test it in 100 or so years..." then there's the "it would take 1,000 years or more (maybe never) to test it".

Theories like String Theory tend to fall into the first, possibly dabbling with the second option. Researchers are already starting to work on ways to test string theory, with promising results. It's quite likely that within 20 years, we might be able to do just that. While things like the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics or multiverse theories tend to fall on the "maybe in 1,000 years, but probably never" category.

I think the real question is: How patient are we?

[guscost]

> How patient are we?

If you mean we're going to be hearing about the Many Mystical Worlds of Quantum Physics from Deepak Chopra types for the next 1,000 years, I'd say "not very" is a reasonable answer.