No other theory known to science [other than superstring theory] uses such powerful mathematics at such a fundamental level.... because any unified field theory first must absorb the Riemannian geometry of Einstein's theory and the Lie groups coming from quantum field theory... The new mathematics, which is responsible for the merger of these two theories, is topology, and it is responsible for accomplishing the seemingly impossible task of abolishing the infinities of a quantum theory of gravity.

Ch.15 Conclusion - Hyperspace (1995)