Is Einstein Still Right?

English language

Published 2020 by Oxford University Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-19-884212-5
OCLC Number:: 1181944144

(1 review)

Albert Einstein is often viewed as the icon of genius, and his theories are admired for their beauty and correctness. Yet the final judge of any theory is the rigorous test of experiment, not the fame of its inventor or the allure of its mathematics. For decades, general relativity has passed test after test with flying colors, including some remarkable new tests using the recently detected gravitational waves. Still, there are reasons for doubt. Einstein's theory of gravity, as beautiful as it is, seems to be in direct contradiction with another theory he helped create: quantum mechanics. Until recently, this was considered to be a purely academic affair. But as more and more data pour in from the most distant corners of the universe, hinting at bizarre stuff called "dark energy" and "dark matter," some scientists have begun to explore the possibility that Einstein's theory may not provide a complete …

Albert Einstein is often viewed as the icon of genius, and his theories are admired for their beauty and correctness. Yet the final judge of any theory is the rigorous test of experiment, not the fame of its inventor or the allure of its mathematics. For decades, general relativity has passed test after test with flying colors, including some remarkable new tests using the recently detected gravitational waves. Still, there are reasons for doubt. Einstein's theory of gravity, as beautiful as it is, seems to be in direct contradiction with another theory he helped create: quantum mechanics. Until recently, this was considered to be a purely academic affair. But as more and more data pour in from the most distant corners of the universe, hinting at bizarre stuff called "dark energy" and "dark matter," some scientists have begun to explore the possibility that Einstein's theory may not provide a complete picture of the cosmos. This book chronicles the latest adventures of scientists as they put Einstein's theory to the test in ever more precise and astonishing ways, and in ever more extreme situations, when gravity is unfathomably intense and rapidly churning. From the explosions of neutron stars and the collisions of black holes to the modern scientific process as a means to seek truth and understanding in the cosmos, this book takes the reader on a journey of learning and discovery that has been 100 years in the making.

1 edition

Soh Kam Yung reviewed Is Einstein Still Right? by Clifford M. Will

A great book about the various tests that have been done to (dis)prove General Relativity

5 stars

A great book about the various tests that Einstein's General Relativity (GR) have been put through since it was proposed. Spoiler alert, GR has passed all the tests so far, while alternative theories of gravity have not. A follow up to one of the author's earlier book, "Was Einstein Right?", this book covers much of the same ground, but updates it with some of the latest experiments that have been performed to verify the predictions of GR.

Many aspects of GR, from the effects of gravity on space-time, to how black holes twist and turn space-time and light, are covered in the book, along with historical and current experiments done to prove (or disprove) GR. Some of the tests involving astrophysics (like stars orbiting black holes, imaging black holes and gravitational waves) are the latest, and most dramatic, examples of GR in action and are still ongoing. The hope is …

A great book about the various tests that Einstein's General Relativity (GR) have been put through since it was proposed. Spoiler alert, GR has passed all the tests so far, while alternative theories of gravity have not. A follow up to one of the author's earlier book, "Was Einstein Right?", this book covers much of the same ground, but updates it with some of the latest experiments that have been performed to verify the predictions of GR.

Many aspects of GR, from the effects of gravity on space-time, to how black holes twist and turn space-time and light, are covered in the book, along with historical and current experiments done to prove (or disprove) GR. Some of the tests involving astrophysics (like stars orbiting black holes, imaging black holes and gravitational waves) are the latest, and most dramatic, examples of GR in action and are still ongoing. The hope is that in such the extreme environments, deviations from the predictions of GR will appear, pointing the way to new physics and perhaps unifying quantum theory with GR.

But don't hold your breath; odds are GR will still work, and the hunt to find yet more precise tests of GR will have to continue for some time to come.

Subjects

Physics