All the Times Einstein Was Right…
In 1919, astronomers set out to test a bold idea. Einstein’s theory of relativity proposed that massive objects bend space-time, warping the path of light. If he was right, starlight passing near the Sun should shift due to its gravity.
A total solar eclipse provided the perfect test. As the Moon blocked the Sun’s glare, astronomers measured starlight near its edge – and found exactly what Einstein predicted. This was the first major confirmation of relativity.
But that was just the beginning. Over the past century, Einstein’s ideas have been tested in some of the universe’s most extreme conditions. Here are 6 ways his theories continue to shape our understanding of reality:
The Universal Speed Limit
Einstein’s equation E=mc² includes “c”, the speed of light – 186,000 miles (300,000 km) per second. In 2009, the Fermi Telescope detected two photons from a neutron star collision – one a million times more energetic than the other – arriving at the exact same time. Space-time was smooth, just as Einstein predicted.
Black Holes:
Einstein’s equations predicted black holes long before they were observed. In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescopecaptured the first-ever image of a black hole’s event horizon, proving their existence beyond doubt.
Relativistic Jets:
Black holes don’t just pull matter in – they also launch jets of plasma moving at nearly the speed of light.
Gravitational Waves:
In 2016, the LIGO observatory confirmed gravitational waves – distortions in space-time caused by merging black holes. In 2017, waves from colliding neutron stars were detected just 1.7 seconds before light from the same event, proving both travel at the same speed.
Gravitational Lensing:
The same effect tested in 1919 – light bending around the Sun – also works on a cosmic scale. Massive galaxies act as gravitational lenses, magnifying light from more distant galaxies behind them.
BONUS: GPS Works Because of Einstein
Satellites experience time slightly faster due to weaker gravity, but slightly slower due to high speed. Without these corrections, GPS would be miles off every day.
Yet, once there was a young man who silenced Albert Einstein, and made him scratch his head contemplatively, in front of a very well educated scientific audience.
This lanky young man with the bony face and the corn-silk hairstyle, forced the famous physicist, Albert Einstein, to have second thoughts, and a minute later, to retract an equation he had just finished presenting at this august scientific conference.
The year was 1930, and the event was the German Physical Society conference, held in Leipzig every year. After the president of the association profoundly praised Einstein for his great speech to thunderous applause — he asked if anyone in the audience had any questions.
For a little while, silence seared across the hall. Who would dare question Einstein, one of the world’s most respected physicists?
Yet, after a minute of silence — a juvenile voice erupted from the last row of the room, and in a broken German language effort, started spitting a few well chosen words, that captivated the great scientist Einstein, and held the audience spellbound:
The handsome young man went on to say … :
“What Professor Einstein said is not stupid, but the second equation he wrote does not follow from the first. In fact, it requires further assumptions that have not been made, and what is worse, it does not satisfy a criterion of invariance, as it should instead be.”
His voice trailed and echoed fearlessly in the silence that followed his comments…
All heads turned reflexively towards this bold, defiant voice, that submerged everyone in disbelief, unable to contain their irrepressible astonishment in the all encompassing quietude.
As they struggled to breathe under this bizarre sea of bafflement, wondering who that might be — Einstein was deeply lost in scrutinizing his equation on the blackboard, almost transfixed by the new revelation, except for his hand, which was mechanically scratching his mustache.
After what appeared to be a minute or two — Einstein turned around, admitted his error, and corrected his mistake, by saying:
“The observation of that young man over there, is perfectly correct. I therefore ask you to forget everything I have said to you today.”
On that day, at that precise moment, destiny plucked that fearless young man of 22 years from obscurity, and made him the leading theoretical physicist of the Soviet Union, arguably one of the greatest geniuses of all time, to ever illuminate the rocky planet of Earth.
That, was Lev Davidovich Landau…
Similarly, on that day, Albert Einstein demonstrated the kind of unadulterated humility that genuine knowledge bestows on any vessel of flesh, that houses a great mind and a great heart to boot…
True education humbles — not the other way around.
Be humble.
Yours,
Dr Churchill
PS:
Really — be humble — it looks good on you…
