> are basically the frameworks This is precisely it. The name "String theory" is a bit of a misnomer; it's a framework, not a scientific theory like evolution

> are basically the frameworks This is precisely it. The name "String theory" is a bit of a misnomer; it's a framework, not a scientific theory like evolution or special relativity despite the common perception. Sure, it does make predictions (like tiny bits a vibrating energy or "strings" are the most fundamental thing in the universe), but that's a lot like playing solitaire in windows and then proclaiming it a bad OS. Strings are only a tiny piece of a much larger framework. String theory is a framework in which you build scientific theories. Where relativity or evolution might be programs on a computer, string theory is the OS. Which is why there's so much confusion. And to say it's a dead end is incorrect; to date there have been some incredibly useful applications in unrelated fields. People are using it for all kinds of things. Even if it's not a theory of everything, it is still helping advance our knowledge and understanding of science.