Rene Breton at Winchester Cafe Scientifique
Monday 3rd March 2014 7 for 7.30pm, Dr Rene Breton from University of Southampton will speak on “Einstein’s Theory Under Scrutiny” at Winchester Discovery Centre.
Almost 100 years after its publication, physicists are still amazed by the remarkable success of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Black holes and warping of space-time are already well-established "facts" of the science fiction folklore. Yet, there is more than science fiction: astrophysicists observe and test effects of relativity on daily basis. In this presentation, I will provide a very accessible introduction to some of the marvels of Einstein's world. I will also illustrate how we recently tested the validity of our gravitational theory to an unprecedented level using observations of pulsars. Pulsars are the ultra-compact remnants of massive stars. They spin at staggering speeds of several rotations per second and illuminate space with their radio beacon in a similar fashion as lighthouses!
Admission is free. For more details and programme for the next few months, see here.