Einstein's theory of relativity still works in extreme conditions: Space: Nature World News

Jul 09, 2018 12:57 AM EDT

Albert Einstein has once again proved that scientists are attacking the theory of general relativity – and carry it to the stars.

Theory of General Relativity

Einstein's Famous Theory states that all objects fall at the same speed into the same gravitational field, provided that there is no resistance in the air. For example, a bowling ball and a ball falling from the leaning tower of Pisa will hit the ground exactly at the same time, regardless of differences in mbad and composition.

Up to now, however, it has not been proven

A Starry Experiment

In a new study published in the journal Nature an International Team of Scientists it's focused on a triple star system at 4,200 light-years. This system consists of a neutron star (a pulsar) orbiting a white dwarf, and this pair in turn turns into orbit around another white dwarf.It is important to remember that the objects in orbit are simply in free fall. never touch the surface as it moves at the same rate as the object that pulls it is curved. This is how a satellite turns around the Earth.

The Conversation explains that according to the theory of general relativity, the pulsar and white dwarf acceleration should be the same as that of the free fall to the other white dwarf. This despite their differences in mbad, composition and self-gravity.

Over a six-year observation period, the researchers built models of the pair's orbits, trying to see if there is a difference between the behavior of the two stars. They found negligible differences, showing how Einstein's theory is still the best existing model of how gravity works.

"There is a difference, it is not more than three parts on a million" The author Nina Gusinskaia, doctoral student at the University of New York. Amsterdam, said in a statement at the University of British Columbia. "Now, anybody with an alternative theory of gravity has an even narrower range of possibilities that their theory needs to integrate, to match what we have seen."

Theory thrives in another galaxy, also

A separate study, published in the journal Science Magazine last June, reveals that the theory of general relativity is proven in an badysis of 39, a neighboring galaxy.

One of the characteristics of the theory is the Objects can distort the space-time, including light, according to Gizmodo. In the study, the team was able to prove the accuracy of general relativity by measuring how much the galaxy ESO 325-G004 deforms the light that pbades through it.