So far, Einstein has been right.

The Astronomy Cast podcast talks about Einstein's life and his work.

At least once a week we get an email claiming that Einstein was wrong. Well you know what, Einstein was right. In fact, as part of his theories of Special and General Relativity, Einstein made a series of predictions about what experiments should discover. Some explained existing puzzles in science, while others made predictions that were only recently proven true.

 

http://www.astronomycast.com/people/ep-236-einstein-was-right/

Albert Einstein is perhaps the most famous scientist in history, known for his groundbreaking theories of Special and General Relativity. While many people are quick to question his ideas, claiming that he must have been wrong about some things, the truth is that Einstein's predictions have held up remarkably well over time.

 

As the Astronomy Cast podcast points out, Einstein's theories made a series of predictions about what experiments should discover. Some of these predictions explained existing puzzles in science, while others made bold claims that were only recently proven true.

 

For example, one of Einstein's most famous predictions was the existence of black holes. While other scientists at the time dismissed the idea as impossible, Einstein's calculations showed that massive objects could warp space-time so much that nothing - not even light - could escape their gravitational pull. It wasn't until decades later that astronomers finally discovered evidence of these mysterious objects lurking in our universe.

 

Another prediction that Einstein made was related to the way gravity affects light. According to his theory of General Relativity, light should be bent by large gravitational fields - something that had never been observed before. In 1919, however, an expedition led by Sir Arthur Eddington set out to observe a solar eclipse and measure this effect. To everyone's amazement, they found that Einstein was right - the positions of stars near the sun appeared shifted due to its immense gravity.

 

Of course, there are still plenty of mysteries left to solve in physics and astronomy today. But when it comes to understanding some of the most fundamental aspects of our universe - from black holes to the very fabric of space and time itself - we can rest assured that Einstein got a lot more right than he got wrong

Voyager 2 switching to backups

In 2011, a historic moment occurred in space exploration as the Voyager 2 space probe faced a critical challenge. After 34 years of sending us groundbreaking discoveries from the far reaches of our solar system, its energy reserves were dwindling rapidly. However, the team at NASA refused to give up on this iconic spacecraft and made a bold decision to activate its backup thrusters in an effort to conserve its remaining energy supply.

Launched in 1977, Voyager 2 was one of the most innovative spacecraft ever created, revolutionizing our understanding of our solar system's outer planets. Over the years, it captured countless unique images and made unprecedented discoveries around Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Its findings have expanded our knowledge of these distant worlds beyond what we could have ever imagined.

Despite all its successes, Voyager 2 has had to endure harsh conditions in space for several decades leading to a depletion of its energy reserves. To extend its mission for as long as possible, scientists instructed the craft to use its backup thrusters - a risky but necessary maneuver that will allow it to stay on course and continue transmitting vital data back to Earth.

The Voyager 2 space probe has been an incredible achievement in human history and will forever be remembered for expanding our understanding of the universe. Its dedication and resilience are a testament to humanity's unrelenting curiosity and determination towards exploring the unknown depths of space.