A feature article in the New York Times (7 December 2004) has examined the state of string theory 20 years after the concept was first introduced as a theoretical construct depicting the make up of the universe as intertwined strings and not single points. The scientists quoted in the article have been among the most active participants in ICTP high energy research and training activities over the past two decades: former SISSA (International School for Advanced Studies) director Daniele Amati; Dirac Medallists Michael Green (Cambridge), David Gross (Kavli Institute, Santa Barbara), John Schwarz (Caltech) and Edward Witten (Institute of Advanced Study); and course directors Brian Greene (Columbia), Robbert Dijkgraaf (Amsterdam), Juan Maldacena (Institute of Advanced Study) and Cumrun Vafa (Harvard). Of the 24 scientists mentioned in the article, 19 have visited ICTP.