Smolin also focuses on the difficulties faced by research in quantum gravity, and by current efforts to come up with a theory explaining all four fundamental interactions.

[4] Polchinski's review states, "In the end, these [Smolin and others'] books fail to capture much of the spirit and logic of string theory."

Sean Carroll's review expressed frustration because in his opinion, "The Trouble with Physics is really two books, with intertwined but ultimately independent arguments."

Sabine Hossenfelder, in a review written a year later and titled "The Trouble With Physics: Aftermath" alludes to the book's polarising effect on the scientific community.

Even though many new specifically designed interdisciplinary fields have been established, investigating the foundations of our current theories has basically been erased out of curricula and textbooks.<[8]A discussion in 2006 took place between UCSB physicists at KITP and science journalist George Johnson regarding the controversy caused by the books of Smolin (The Trouble with Physics) and Peter Woit (Not Even Wrong).