-
James Clerk Maxwell
Theory of electromagnetism, suggesting that light is an electromagnetic wave traveling at a constant speed. -
Michelson-Morley
experiment demonstrates the constancy of the speed of light, challenging the concept of “aether.” -
Special Relativity
Albert Einstein publishes “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies”, introducing the theory of Special Relativity.
- The speed of light is constant in all inertial frames of reference.
- Time and space are relative, depending on the observer’s motion -
General Relativity
The speed of light is constant in all inertial frames of reference. Time and space are relative, depending on the observer’s motion -
Confirming the theory
Arthur Eddington’s solar eclipse expedition confirms the bending of starlight by the Sun’s gravity, providing evidence for General Relativity. -
Black Holes and Expanding Universe
-
Big Bang theory
Georges Lemaître proposes the Big Bang theory, supported by the expansion of the universe predicted by General Relativity. -
Oppenheimer
Robert Oppenheimer theorizes the existence of black holes as a consequence of gravitational collapse. -
Technological Advances and Relativity
1964: Discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) confirms the Big Bang theory.
1974: Indirect evidence of gravitational waves is observed in binary pulsars by Hulse and Taylor. -
Gravitational Waves Detected
The LIGO collaboration directly detects gravitational waves, confirming a key prediction of General Relativity.