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Posts: 3470
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
Einstein's Gravitational Waves Detected
A number of Foro members have interests that range far beyond flamenco, and I'm sure many have read of the latest discovery confirming a heretofore unproven portion of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, namely gravitational waves. Any object with mass warps the curvature of space-time (this is gravity). Gravitational waves are generated by cataclysmic events in the cosmos, and those detected were caused by two spiraling black holes colliding 1.3 billion light years away from Earth.
Once again, Einstein is proven correct. I remember at the turn of the century and millennium in 2000 (although the turn actually occurred beginning 2001) when Time Magazine named Einstein "Man of the Century." I would have selected Winston Churchill for his stalwart leadership during World War II. It has been said that Churchill marshaled the English language and took it into battle. I still think Churchill would have been a great choice, but I have no problem with Einstein. Einstein completely revamped our view of the universe.
Bill
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And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to BarkellWH)
quote:
Gravitational waves are generated by cataclysmic events in the cosmos, and those detected were caused by two spiraling black holes colliding 1.3 billion light years away from Earth.
Sheesh. It's getting harder and harder to feel self-important these days!
Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to Leñador)
The problem with gravity is that really we dont know exactly what it is ....
we know its there and we know the effect is has but unlike other fundamental forces ,...not what it is .....if you get me its ok saying its a force ,,, but of what ... still to find out ...
thats the kind of thing I think about while practicing tremolo
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to BarkellWH)
quote:
ORIGINAL: BarkellWH
I still think Churchill would have been a great choice, but I have no problem with Einstein. Einstein completely revamped our view of the universe.
Bill
Seems as if for you it´s the criteria of discovery / invention / performance in conjunction with popular effect. (Leaving aside besides that these could be debatable, naturally.)
Personally I estimate the value of an intellectual achievement separately from its possible popular effect. Sure, if a progressive achievement reaches the people / enters common sense, just the better, but if it for whatever reasion stays unknown to me it keeps being valuable still.
Having said that, as genius as Einstein has proven to be, viewing effects it seems to me that there have been way more relevant discoveries / performances that either have been or could have been of advantage to the people.
In fact Einstein regretted to have pathed the way to the most insane weapon on earth, and in respect of the long term havoc through just as much insane nuclear power plants / waste it should be for certain that all three the Curies and Einstein would had preferred to never have touched the subject.
Regarding astronomy, as fascinating as it is, apart of Kopernikus´ very valuable debunking of theological doctrine, I have not been able to realize any constructive effect on menkind from the cosmic subject.
It certainly suits us well to try understand the universe and at a time it might even help us to prevent the earth from being hit by meteorite, but for now there are way more pressing problems at stake which in the same time would take much less sophistication to realize.
Posts: 3470
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to Ruphus)
quote:
It certainly suits us well to try understand the universe...., but for now there are way more pressing problems at stake which in the same time would take much less sophistication to realize. Famine or species extinction anyone?
In my opinion it is not a case of "either-or." Discoveries that lead to a greater understanding of the universe and finding solutions to pressing problems here on Earth are not mutually exclusive. Both can be pursued simultaneously.
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East."
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to Ruphus)
quote:
Regarding astronomy, as fascinating as it is, apart of Kopernikus´ very valuable debunking of theological doctrine, I have not been able to realize any constructive effect on menkind from the cosmic subject.
Not true. Our GPS system wouldn't work without the theory of relativity. So we may end up being the last species on earth with 80% of our own species dying of hunger, but at least our Google cars will be able to turn right without us having to tell them to
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 15268
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to El Kiko)
quote:
ORIGINAL: El Kiko
The problem with gravity is that really we dont know exactly what it is ....
we know its there and we know the effect is has but unlike other fundamental forces ,...not what it is .....if you get me its ok saying its a force ,,, but of what ... still to find out ...
thats the kind of thing I think about while practicing tremolo
Actually that's exactly what this is about...Newton thought it to be a "force" and Einstein showed that if c is a constant (special relativity) than this gravity thing need not a be an instant force field but rather a result of curvature caused by mass (General Relativity). Looks like he was right. What does this mean for unification? (3 known forces jiving with gravity way back at Big Bang epoch)...well will still have to wait unfortunately, for more data in the quantum world.
Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland
RE: Einstein's Gravitational Waves D... (in reply to Ricardo)
In part its what its about , in terms of it's included in it , and its generally belived that objects with more mass and density will curve space more , like putting a bowling ball and other round objects on a trampoline , the heavier one will make the biggest impression and smaller ones near it will fall toward it ..(the trampoline representing space) ...this is what is thought now ,kind of , and yet it still produces it's own set of problems as to how that works as well , the mechanics of it ..
Yes your right we need more data to try pull it all together. The waves detected would be from a huge gravitational force generated from some finite time in the past when all the mass of the universe was possibly concentrated into a single point, where and when the fabric of time and space came into existence..
or ......
According to the Boshongo people of central Africa, in the beginning, there was only darkness, water, and the great god Bumba. One day Bumba, in pain from a stomach ache, vomited up the sun. The sun dried up some of the water, leaving land. Still in pain, Bumba vomited up the moon, the stars, and then some animals. The leopard, the crocodile, the turtle, and finally, man.
I like that story from Hawking the best ,, so I'll go with that one ......it's nice and tidy
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