Could Einstein have misunderstood space-time?

The most important theories in physics may still not be broad enough to explain the universe.

Humans used to believe that the Earth was the center of the solar system until Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, proved that our Earth is just a planet revolving around the Sun. Later, Newton proved the principle behind the planets orbiting the Sun with the law of universal gravitation. He said the larger the objects, the greater the force of attraction between them, but the further apart they are, the weaker the attraction. Next came Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, which suggested that all objects in the universe lie on “a cloth”, which is a four-dimensional continuum known as space-time and causes distortion. Massive objects like the Sun warp space-time around them, so Earth’s orbit is simply the result of our planet obeying this curvature, similar to gravity. Newton. Does quantum theory contradict the concept of space-time? Besides, we also have another concept that is quantum theory. In the quantum world, a physical system always has overlapping states. Specifically, a particle can exist in many places or have many velocities at the same time. In the 1930s, physicist Erwin Schrödinger devised a thought experiment that is still known today as “Schrödinger’s cat” to discuss this quantum theory. Suppose there is a sealed box, inside is a living cat with a vial of poison and a radioactive substance that will decay after about an hour (but also probably not). If decay occurs, it will be recorded by the quantum state meter and activate the counter causing the hammer to be dropped to break the vial of poison, which will kill the cat. If the potion hadn’t been broken, the cat was still alive. The problem here is that until the measurement is taken, the cat will be in two superpositions of life and death. Massive objects warp the structure of space and time around them, resulting in neighboring objects following a curve. Photo: Space. This cannot be reconciled with the space-time continuum. “The gravitational field cannot be in two places at once,” said Sabine Hossenfelder, a theoretical physicist at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Study. According to Einstein, space-time is warped by matter and energy, but according to quantum physics, matter and energy exist in many states simultaneously. “So where is the gravitational field?” Hossenfelder asked. However, no one has an answer to that question. Looking for a solution To be able to reconcile the two theories, physicists have tried to find a common theory that solves both quantum physics and space-time theory. Perhaps the most famous theory is the string theory of physicist Andrew Strominger. It’s the idea that subatomic particles like electrons and quarks are created from the continuous oscillations of microscopic filaments, not from collections of particles. However, the strings must vibrate in 11 dimensions, while Einstein’s fabric of space-time has only four. “String theory is interesting math, but whether it describes the space-time we live in, we need an experiment to prove it,” said Professor Jorma Louko from the University of Nottingham. know. String theory, a way to reconcile relativity and quantum theory, says that reality is made of vibrating strings. Photo: Spice. Evolving from the limitations of string theory, other physicists have turned to an alternative called Ring Quantum Gravity (LQG). They argue that space-time is made up of a series of interwoven loops structured on the smallest size scales, like a cloth. However, it is made of a network of stitches, or like a computer photo, made of individual pixels. According to physicists studying the LQG, these loops are so small that the number of rings in a cubic centimeter of space is more than the volume of the entire observable universe in cubic centimeters. “If space-time differs only on the Planck scale, this would be difficult to test in any particle accelerator,” says Louko. You’ll need an atom smasher 1,000 trillion times more powerful than the large particle accelerator (LHC) at CERN. To find the answer, scientists must use light from Gamma rays at a distance to look for evidence for LQG. The signals we receive from the universe may have traveled billions of light years, experiencing the influence of space-time. Cosmic flashes are emitted as stars reach the end of their lives, scientists are still trying to understand the meaning of these explosions in space. “Their spectral ranges have systematic distortion,” commented Hossenfelder. However, the problem now is to find the answer to the cause of this distortion. An alternate picture shows that space and time are not smooth, but are instead created by a series of small loops. Photo: Space. Quantum entanglement According to Einstein, space-time always exists even if there are no stars or planets around it. However, physicists Laurent Freidel, Robert Leigh and Djordje Minic argue that space-time does not exist independently of the objects in it. According to them, space-time is defined by the interactions between objects. “This may sound confusing, but it’s the best way to approach the problem,” Mr. Minic said. The theory mentioned above is called the modulus of space-time, which can explain a well-known phenomenon called “quantum entanglement”. Quantum entanglement is when two atomic particles are brought together and linked their quantum properties. Then, when the scientists separated them from each other, they found that the particles retained their property bonds. When the properties of a particle are changed, the particle at the other end will sense this change immediately, faster than the speed of light. Einstein was so confused by this phenomenon that he called it the ‘spooky effect at a distance’, because the speed of light is the fastest, according to him. Modularity of space-time theory can modify the properties of a particle by looking at the “separation” from a different perspective. If space-time emerges from the quantum world, it would be simpler to be closer in the quantum sense than in the physical sense. “Each person will have a different concept depending on the context,” says Minic. It’s like a person-to-person relationship. We can feel closer to our loved ones far away than to strangers around us,” added Hossenfelder. Albert Einstein presented a Newtonian picture of gravity as a force, replacing it with space-time. Photo: Science Photo Library. Freidel, Leigh and Minic have been working on their concept for the past five years and believe they are taking steps towards perfecting it. According to Minic, this would be a novel approach to bring the concept of gravity into the quantum world, instead of quantizing gravity as with the LQG theory. However, any scientific theory needs to be tested. For now, the trio is looking for a way to incorporate time into their model. This new discovery could have a more profound effect on our daily lives. “All of our current devices work solely on quantum theory. If we better understand the quantum structure of space-time, that will have an impact on future technologies – maybe in 200 years,” said Hossenfelder.