Originally posted by sonhouseBear in mind that general relativity predicts a small 1/r³ correction to the inverse square law. Not only do they have to show deviations from the inverse square law, but that the deviation isn't explainable by general relativity.
If there were deviations from the inverse square law, that would be solid evidence of hidden curled up dimensions. What it proves? That the universe is more than we see for sure. It would be Nobel prize material for one thing.
That would open up string or Mbrane theory as having some real street cred.
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Originally posted by woadmanThe prospects of measuring gravitational waves are a bit better than those of measuring gravitons (in technical terms, measuring a graviton would prove the quantization of gravitational waves; gravitational waves do not rely on a quantum description). Efforts to measure these waves are currently ongoing and it would not surprise me if they would succeed in the coming decades.
at the big bang there was "inflation" of space/time that produced gravitational "WAVES". Even these waves have not been detected/verified. Just like gravitons are beyond the realm of todays scientists. Gravity is too tough to figure out. We need a new Einstein..
By the way, gravitational waves (if they exist) are generated all the time - they are just the carriers of the gravitational force, like the graviton.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraThere's the observation of binary pulsars orbits decaying, which implies they are emitting gravitational radiation, so they've been indirectly observed.
The prospects of measuring gravitational waves are a bit better than those of measuring gravitons (in technical terms, measuring a graviton would prove the quantization of gravitational waves; gravitational waves do not rely on a quantum description). Efforts to measure these waves are currently ongoing and it would not surprise me if they would succeed ...[text shortened]... nerated all the time - they are just the carriers of the gravitational force, like the graviton.
Originally posted by DeepThought"...which implies they are emitting gravitational radiation..."
There's the observation of binary pulsars orbits decaying, which implies they are emitting gravitational radiation, so they've been indirectly observed.
That's a guess, nothing more.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraPeople like arguing. As I understand it the decay rates match the GR predictions quite closely so there'd need to be a cosmic conspiracy for it to be anything else.
From what I understand, this is not taken as conclusive evidence for the existence of gravitational waves.
Originally posted by twhitehead"...which implies they are emitting gravitational radiation..."
Its more than a qualified guess.
A guess, a hypothesis, an implication, nothing more.
When the gravitational radiation is measured, come back and tell me.
Have gravitational radiation been measured at all anywhere?