How Bob Laughlin tamed the giant graviton from Taub-NUT space

In this paper we show how two dimensional electron systems can be modeled b y strings interacting with D-branes. The dualities of string theory allow s everal descriptions of the system. These include descriptions in terms of s olitons in the near horizon D6-brane theory, non-commutative gauge theory o n a D2-brane, the Matrix Theory of D0-branes and finally as a giant gravito n in M-theory. The soliton can be described as a D2-brane with an incompres sible fluid of D0-branes and charged string-ends moving on it. Including an NS5-brane in the system allows for the existence of an edge with the chara cteristic massless chiral edge states of the Quantum Hall system.