Einstein was wrong.

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Here's a cool little article about some research that confirms some of the weirder elements of quantum mechanics, specifically relating to quantum entanglement and wave function collapse. In layman's terms, particles can behave as though they are in more than one place at a time, and when they are measured, they "collapse" into a single state, but entanglement allows the state in one location to have an instantaneous effect on another particle in another location. Einstein called this "spooky action at a distance," and simply couldn't accept it, pretty much on grounds of common sense.

What's really interesting about all this, though, is that it's just one more piece of evidence confirming the two greatest developments in the history of physics, Einstein's general relativity (which describes gravity), and quantum mechanics (which describe the other forces). Experimental evidence for both theories continues to grow, despite the fact that they seem to be entirely incompatible with each other. Both seem true, and yet they don't fit together. Reconciling the two theories remains physicists' white whale.

The universe is a strange place.

goat

This post was edited on 3/31 7:17 PM by TheOriginalHappyGoat

Spooky.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

That's a relief.

I thought you found some Einstein quote about gay marriage and religious freedom.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

Originally posted by TheOriginalHappyGoat:
Here's a cool little article about some research that confirms some of the weirder elements of quantum mechanics, specifically relating to quantum entanglement and wave function collapse. In layman's terms, particles can behave as though they are in more than one place at a time, and when they are measured, they "collapse" into a single state, but entanglement allows the state in one location to have an instantaneous effect on another particle in another location. Einstein called this "spooky action at a distance," and simply couldn't accept it, pretty much on grounds of common sense.

What's really interesting about all this, though, is that it's just one more piece of evidence confirming the two greatest developments in the history of physics, Einstein's general relativity (which describes gravity), and quantum mechanics (which describe the other forces). Experimental evidence for both theories continues to grow, despite the fact that they seem to be entirely incompatible with each other. Both seem true, and yet they don't fit together. Reconciling the two theories remains physicists' white whale.

The universe is a strange place.

goat

This post was edited on 3/31 7:17 PM by TheOriginalHappyGoat

"Both seem true, and yet they don't fit together. Reconciling the two theories remains physicists' white whale".





is that not where the string theory guys come in?

 

[i'vegotwinners]

i thought this was going to be about Indiana conservatives doing what they always do, and finally getting a different result.

 

[meridian]

Very good point.

Einstein and Bohr indeed had a serious arguments on quantum mechanics. But then, Einstein was not the foremost expert on quantum mechanics. While the latest experiment by the Japanese physicists, which I believe you are referring to, is another step toward the resolution but is not the final verdict. Not yet, anyway.

On the other hand, science by nature evolves as evidenced by Newtonian world replaced by Einstein, etc. Generation by generation, we learn more and slowly march toward the final verdict if ever.



This post was edited on 3/31 8:01 PM by meridian

 

[i'vegotwinners]

"there is no spoon".

 

[Scott S]

Is that the Unified Field Theory??

and I had a stray thought reading the article my money is on Dark Matter/Dark Energy.........don't ask me why just shooting blanks in the dark.

 

[meridian]

Ignore! duplicate!

**
This post was edited on 3/31 7:59 PM by meridian

 

[meridian]

You make a good point there.

The nature of science is that as we learn more about it, we find more things that do not exactly satisfy the existing phenomena. Our laboratories and experiments are getting more sophisticated. Better theory begets more sophisticated experiments, etc. In the days of Einstein, he heavily relied Maxwell's equations and not much experimental evidence.

Einstein proposed General Relativity in 1915. Unlike the Special Theory of Relativity, General Relativity was very difficult to prove in the laboratory because it deals with the universe, not the matters at hand. Today, it has been proven to be correct, and that is the torch Steven Hawking has inherited, and furthered the theory.

It will be very interesting to see how this new "discovery" will unfold. My 11-year grandson, whose hero is Steven Hawking will follow this development, I am sure.

 

[Rockfish1]

Physics rocks

It beautifully illustrates core scientific principles. Einstein's relativity theory has been verified through experiment, as has quantum mechanics. Our best understandings of the very big and the very small are thus unassailable, except when set against one another. Meanwhile each of them works perfectly well as explanations of observed reality, and even though they can't both be right, we can achieve great things if we assume that they are.This state of affairs will persist until the next Einstein reimagines reality in some new way that few of us will more than dimly comprehend. And then we will adopt the next best model of reality, which will also be wrong in some ways, even though it advances us further still. This is how progress happens.

In contrast to these marvels of human insight and imagination, most political disputes about science are mired in partisan hackery, locked away from rational inquiry as surely as the surviving great texts were locked away by the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages. Anyone who thinks I'm throwing stones is right.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Since we have been talking about cakes

This is interesting, but it really doesn't get us very far once we consider that each wave creates a new and different space/time continuum; and that this is different for each observation. This is one more ingredient for the cake, but we don't know what the cake looks like. This stuff reminds me of one of my favorite books, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance where Pirsig showed us we need much more than observable reality to determine the true nature of things.

"The law of gravity and gravity itself did not exist before Isaac Newton." ...and what that means is that that law of gravity exists nowhere except in people's heads! "

 

[NPT]

Well COH

this link proves that gravity exists.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Grin . . . .

I love to play with gravity; I have a ball every time I step into my skis. But it also has its burdens, like when I try to get out of my friend's little car where my butt is about 10" off the ground.

 

[Noodle]

speaking of physics...how about a little Feynman to start your day


Every time I watch a video of him or read something he wrote, I am reminded of what a brilliant physicist he was--and an even greater genius at teaching physics to the rest of us.

Physics is the underlying base of ALL science. Physics comes before chemistry, biology, and all of the other scientific disciplines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpDrdtGAmo

 

[meridian]

Yes, Feynman is/was brilliant.

Also, a very interesting, or shall I say fascinating, character as well. If you are into Feynman, you should read his biography, which covers the human side of this genius, as well as the quirky side of him. I have listened to his speech, and that was one of the best lectures on science I have sat in.

 

[meridian]

Re: Well COH

That is hilariously brilliant, or is it brilliantly hilarious!