Teach Einstein's Theories in School

Real Clear Science ^ | 20 Dec, 2016 | Martin Hendry , Ellen Karoline Henriksen & David Blair

[MtnClimber]

The discovery of gravitational waves, announced earlier this year, marked the ultimate test of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Einstein published his theory in the form of 10 abstract equations 101 years ago. The equations did away with Newton’s theory of gravity and replaced it with curved space and warped time.

Within weeks, Karl Schwarzschild found a solution to Einstein’s equations. His conclusion was astonishing and almost unbelievable: it told us that time depends on altitude and that matter can create holes where space and time come to an end.

A few months later, Einstein himself found a solution to his own equations. This solution described waves in the curvature of spacetime that would ripple out at the speed of light whenever masses accelerated around each other.

For its first half-century, Einstein’s theory was controversial. Were the waves real or mere mathematical artefacts? Do gravitational waves deposit energy? Are the black holes hypothesised by astronomers the same black holes that Schwarszchild predicted, or are they some other very dense agglomerations of matter?

Over the past 40 years the evidence has mounted that gravitational waves actually exist and that black holes are the real thing. Thousands of physicists believed the theory well enough to devote years inventing technology for making the exquisitely sensitive detectors required to prove the theory.

Yet when the waves were finally discovered, it still came as a shock. The shock was to suddenly know what for years had been a belief and a hope..........

All shared the vision that we owe it to our children to teach our best understanding of the nature of our universe, rather than the obsolete 19th-century science that still dominates our school curriculum.

We heard about three countries that are pioneering Einsteinian physics in the classroom: South Korea, Norway and Scotland.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Wow. Is this taught in the Naval Academy?

[reed13k]

it was an elective for physics majors - still have the books - think i got a C (LOL a lot’s changed in 30 years though), was just one semester...I paired it with nuclear engineering (from which i mainly obtained a respect for concrete and water as radiation shields ;)

[BwanaNdege]

THANK YOU!

If Feynman thinks that, too, I feel truly vindicated!.

BTW, the same argument applies to a lot of sermons delivered by immanent theologians. Theological buzzwords need to be translated into terms in common use in everyday life. You know, like “sowing & reaping, wheat & tares, sheep & goats” were in everyday use in the agricultural communities of Israel 2000 years ago. Sermons need to emulate those of the Greatest Theologian!