Science
Einstein's Theory of Gravity Explained
Explore Einstein's theory of general relativity, which describes gravity not as a force, but as the curvature of spacetime by mass and energy.
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What is it?
General relativity is Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation, published in 1915. It fundamentally changed our understanding of gravity, describing it not as an invisible force that pulls objects together, but as a consequence of the curving or warping of spacetime. According to the theory, massive objects like planets and stars distort the fabric of spacetime around them. Other objects then move along these curves, which we perceive as the pull of gravity. This model has successfully predicted phenomena like gravitational lensing, the bending of light by massive objects, and the existence of black holes.
Why is it trending?
Despite being over a century old, general relativity is constantly validated by new discoveries. The first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015, ripples in spacetime caused by cataclysmic events like colliding black holes, opened a new window to the universe and confirmed a key prediction. Furthermore, the imaging of a black hole's event horizon and ongoing research into dark matter and dark energy keep the theory at the forefront of modern physics and cosmology, as scientists test its limits.
How does it affect people?
General relativity has a direct impact on everyday technology. The Global Positioning System (GPS) in your phone or car relies on its principles. Satellites in orbit experience time slightly faster than we do on Earth due to weaker gravity (a relativistic effect). Without correcting for this time difference as predicted by general relativity, GPS navigation systems would accumulate errors of several kilometers each day, making them practically useless.