Quantum Gravity Claimed Detected on Earth
Explanation:
Does gravity come in chucks?
A theory known as
Quantum Mechanics
tells us about how the universe works on the smallest scales, while
Einstein's
General Theory of Relativity tells us about how
gravity and the
universe works on the largest scales.
So far, no complete theory has been able to encompass them both.
A possible step indicating that
gravity
really is a
quantum field came recently in
France with a claim that the
Earth's gravitation field
itself has been seen as
quantized.
In an
experiment by
Valery Nesvizhevsky
and colleagues at the
Laue-Langevin Institute,
carefully dropped
neutrons were
seen to appear at only discrete heights.
Scientists the world over will wait to see if such
experiments are confirmed independently.
Picture above is a false-color surface that
might be created by the evolution of a
one-dimensional string.
By describing
fundamental particles as
tiny strings, many
physicists are working toward the creation of a truly
quantum theory of gravity.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
