Newtons theory of gravity was goodit lasted for two and a half centuriesbut it was not good enough.

It took 10 years, but Einstein finally figured out a better theory of gravity called general relativity. Einstein
realized that gravity is not a force, as Newton had imagined, but a warping of spacetime. This changed
everything. Einsteins ideas reveal a strange and fascinating universe of black holes, worm holes, and
time machines, and form the foundations of our understanding of the big bang theory, the accelerating
expansion of the universe, and much more. Explore the mind-warping ideas of general relativity!

Whats the big idea?

Newtons law of universal gravitation accounts
very well for the motions of the planets, but not
perfectly. For instance, by the late 1800s, it was
clear that Mercury doesnt quite follow the orbit
predicted by newtonian gravity. Something was
wrong. Moreover, Einsteins special relativity
ideas say that there is a universal speed limit
the speed of light, which newtonian gravity is
in clear violation of. According to Newtons
ideas, if you wave a rock in your hand, then the
gravitational effects of this will travel with infinite
speed to all masses in the universe. Something
was really wrong.
their acceleration towards the axis of rotation. their space or time. He wondered if a real
Einstein knew that a new theory of gravity was Einstein wondered if such artificial gravity could gravitational fieldthe kind produced by mass,
required. Perhaps the most crucial step he tell him something about real gravity. So he might be linked to a warping of spacetime.
took was to realize that it is possible to create carefully analysed the motion of accelerated
artificial gravity using acceleration. As a observers using his special relativity ideas, In special relativity, spacetime is flat, like a
modern example, astronauts in a rotating space and discovered that the artificial gravity they four-dimensional version of a flat surface. In
station will feel artificial gravity because of would experience is linked to a warping of general relativity, Einstein allowed spacetime

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to warp, or curve, and showed that if this
warping is slight it can exactly reproduce
the effects of newtonian gravity. This stroke
of genius seamlessly unified spacetime and
gravity. But it went far beyond newtonian
gravity, including entirely new phenomena like
gravitational waves, black holes, and the big
bang.
As an example of Einsteins gravity in action,
imagine two stars orbiting about each other.
They will create gravitational wavesripples
in the geometry of spacetime, radiating
outwards. If you and I were floating in space
nearby, these waves would cause the distance
between us to fluctuate, and yet we would
feel no forces and experience no acceleration.
How so? Suppose you are cross-country
skiing, and moving in a straight line by
doing a parallel shuffle (i.e., each time you
push a ski forward, you slide it parallel to
the other ski). Im nearby, doing the same.
We encounter a hill. Continuing our parallel
shuffles, our paths might be as shown in the
General Relativity animation: if they diverged
before the hill, they might converge after.
With a saddle-shaped terrain, the effect
would be opposite: converging before, and
diverging after (see animation). Were both
moving on straight lines (parallel shuffle), but
due to the curved landscape, the distance
between us is fluctuating.
A gravitational wave is similar, except with
our curved landscape now representing
Whats it good for?
warped spacetime. One dimension of the
blue grid represents space, and the other, Space and Time
time. The spacetime alternates back and What time is it? And where am I? Gazing to your
forth between the hill and saddle shapes right, you see nothing but the last remnants of
as the gravitational wave passes by us. the sun dipping below the barren landscape.
Were both moving on straight lines in To your left, darkness envelops the eerie
this spacetime, and thus experiencing no silhouette of a lonely cactus. You turn on your
forces or acceleration, and yet the distance GPS unit. Microwave signals from satellites
between us is fluctuating! Gravity is not a are received that carry time stamps accurate
force, as Newton imagined, but a warping
of spacetime.
Today, general relativity underlies our
understanding of everything from planetary
orbits to the expansion of the universe.
Ever higher precision tests of it are driving
ever more astounding technological
developments, with multiple spin off
technologies. For example, the power of
these ideas has enabled us to construct the
Global Positioning System (GPS).
to a billionth of a second, and your position is
pinned down to within a single step. To know
where cannot be answered without knowing
when, and knowing when requires knowing that
time moves more slowly on earth than it does
high up where the GPS satellites orbit. The
Global Positioning System would not work were
it not for this profound understanding achieved
by Einsteins general theory of relativitythe
unification of space, time, and gravity.
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High Tech
Two neutron stars circle each other,
moving closer and closer together with
each revolution, until finally they collide
in a violent explosion. This cataclysmic
event shakes the very fabric of spacetime,
sending gravity waves outward like ripples
on a pondat least according to Einstein.
But was he right? Attempting to answer
this question has, and will continue to
push a variety of technologies, both
earthand space-based, to entirely new
levels, prompting the construction of
ultra accurate atomic clocks, extremely
sensitive vibration dampening systems,
and position measurement technologies
with unprecedented precision. All of
which will surely see a wide variety of spin
off applications in the years to come.
Some of the most advanced technologies
in the world are first created in physics
laboratories, where precision tests of our
understanding of natures laws are being
pushed to new heights.
And, of course, made sense of what we were
seeing. Thats where general relativity comes
in. It is the very framework that has enabled
us to construct our entire understanding of 13
billion years of cosmic evolution since the big
bang. Its also the lens through which we then
view the universe, both figuratively and literally.
For example, Einstein discovered that mass
warps spacetime, and warped spacetime bends
light, just like a lens. The simple fact is theres
a lot more bending of light going on than can
be accounted for by people, planets and stars.
Theres a lot of something else out there, but we
dont know what it is. Powerful ideas often bring
into focus new and deeper mysteries, which in
turn lead to ever more powerful ideas.

Science Begets Science

Ninety-six percent. That is the amount of
stuff in the universe about which we know
absolutely nothing. Atomsthe stuff we
do know a lot aboutmake up only four
percent. People, planets and stars are just
the tip of the iceberg. How do we know
this? We just looked out into the cosmos.

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