τ decays into strange particles and QCD

New results from ALEPH on τ decay modes into strange final states have been presented at this workshop. Together with already published results they provide strong constraints on several interesting questions which are of relevance for understanding low-energy QCD. The measurements of the branching ratios for τ→ντK-π+π-, τ→ντKS0KL0π- a nd τ → ντKS0KS0π-allow a determination of the vector and axial fractions in the KKπ hadronic system. The DMO sum rule is saturated by ρ and K* spectral functions; however the measured non-strange contribution at higher masses needs a strange counterpart. In this context, vector and axial resonance contributions are discussed and a branching ratio of (4.9±1.3) x 10-3 is derived for τ→ντKA*(1270).Finally, the total strange hadronic contribution is determined, Rτ,S=0.1560±0.0064, and is used in the context of the OPE QCD expansion to derive a measurement of the strange quark mass: ms(mτ)=212-35+30-5+1 MeV/c2 in qualitative agreement with previous theoretical estimates. (orig.)