Entry 519, on 2007-04-24 at 16:35:41 (Rating 1, Science)
A year and a half ago I blogged about the NASA space probe, Gravity Probe B. I commented on the incredible precision with which it was built: gyroscopes incorporating the most perfect spheres ever made, accurate to 0.00000000001 inches, and a pointing accuracy of 0.0000001 degrees. Now the results are starting to appear.
The analysis of the data isn't easy, and will take almost a year, but initial results indicate Einstein was right again. The predictions of the Theory of Relativity were confirmed by the data from the probe. The geodesic effect was confirmed to an accuracy of 1%. Further analysis is necessary to confirm or refute the other prediction of Relativity: frame dragging, but considering how Einstein's theory has stood up to every challenge thrown at it for nearly 100 years it would be courageous to predict it will be contradicted now.
While its great to know that one of the most basic theories of science has been confirmed yet again, its also frustrating, because finding inaccuracies in Relativity is a possible starting point for creating the next generation of theories which could unify relativity and quantum mechanics. The bizarre thing is that both of these seemingly counter-intuitive theories have been continually supported by observation, yet they contradict each other under extreme conditions. Until we can make them work together, the laws of physics in extreme conditions, such as black holes and the Big Bang, can't be better understood.
All we can do is await further experiments and analysis of existing data, but at the moment science seems to be stuck with theories which appear to be going nowhere.
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