Relativity
In 1905 Albert Einstein published his first Theory of Relativity, a paper that would change physics forever. The special theory of relativity describes the relationship between space and time and states that the speed of light in a vacuum is independent of the motion of the observer, the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers. In 1915 Einstein’s theory of General Relativity expanded on this and outlined how massive objects cause a distortion in space-time which presents itself as gravity.
Does gravity distort space, move things through it, or both?
More than 100 years on from the conception of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, it's still a challenge to wrap your head around.
How a solar eclipse revealed the warping of spacetime and opened a new window into the Universe
Since its effects were proven more than a century ago, scientists have used gravitational lensing to uncover many of the Universe's mysteries.
What's inside the fifth dimension?
What else could there be beyond the three dimensions of space and one of time? And how can we begin to conceive of it?
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What is gravity? A guide to nature's most mysterious force (and what we still don't know)
Everyone knows that what goes up must come down. But why? Gravity, it turns out, is full of surprises…
Instant Genius Podcast | Gravity, with Marcus Chown
Science writer Marcus Chown joins us on our podcasts, Instant Genius and Instant Genius Extra.
Instant Genius Podcast | The nature of time, with Colin Stuart
Astronomy author Colin Stuart joins us on our podcasts Instant Genius and Instant Genius Extra.
Inside the simple computer program that could explain why the Universe exists at all
Stephen Wolfram is trying to find a rule that dictates the Universe. And in doing so, he might even become the first person to finally devise a complete, fundamental theory of physics. Elegant, or what?
Here’s what could happen if you fell into a black hole
In this extract from Janna Levin's Black Hole Survival Guide we take a trip across the event horizon of a black hole.
2020 Nobel Prize in physics given to black hole researchers
British physicist Sir Roger Penrose shares the prize with Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
Ancient galaxy is quite chill, actually
The galaxy is 'surprisingly unchaotic, contradicting theories that all galaxies in the early Universe were turbulent and unstable'.
Reality Check | Is warp drive really possible?
A NASA scientist recently released a report analysing the feasibility of warp drive as a means of faster-than-light travel. Could this Star Trek technology really be possible?
Black holes | What are they and how did we discover them?
Fiction depicts black holes as yawning voids that lurk in deep space, gobbling up anything in their path, but how does science explain these 'dark stars'?
Researchers verify ‘extremely odd’ black hole physics
A team at the University of Glasgow set out to validate British physicist Roger Penrose’s 1969 work.
The quest for quantum gravity | Why being wrong is essential to science
Theoretical physicist Fay Dowker says that scientific advances depend on debate.
Wormholes | Could we travel through a black hole into another galaxy?
Could we travel through a black hole to take a shortcut into another galaxy?
A brief history of gravity | From apples to gravitational waves
Feel the full force of history in this quick introduction to gravity, electromagnetism and how we came to understand what’s keeping us stuck to the floor and orbiting the Sun.
How British scientists inspired and ensured Einstein's place in history
Albert Einstein looked up to the great scientists that preceded him, and his British contemporaries helped prove his theory of relativity.
Great scientists | Arthur Eddington - the champion of relativity
Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity revolutionised physics, but it appeared during the First World War. Without Arthur Eddington to state its case, the theory may never have become established.
Why is gold yellow?
Some unexpected physics is responsible for this precious metal’s familiar gleam.
Star Wars' last Jedi may use the Force of quantum science
The Force in Star Wars suggests it may be a form of quantum entanglement. Here's how.
How the science of Star Wars is turning fiction into fact
Professor Carsten Welsch uses the science of Star Wars to explain how we're using more than the Force to push the boundaries of physics.
Do other planets influence Earth’s tides?
Despite what the latest astrology charts say, the planets are too far away to make any difference down here on Earth.
Will time ever end?
Tick tock, tick tock, whenever will the clock stop…
Einstein thought it impossible, but we've just weighed a star with gravity
Astronomers report the first ever measurement of light bending around a star other than our own.