Vafa's Approach: F-Theory and GUTs

After a short mention of String- and M- and F-Theory, we introduce the new methods of Vafa (2008), which aim to understand some features of the Standard Model (without gravity), by following a "bottom-up" approach in F-Theory. We recall briefly the role of the 7-Branes, which encode the gauge groups and can generate chiral matter in their intersections. Prospects for a realistic Grand Unified Theory (GUT) are also pointed out.