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Scientists closer to finding quantum gravity theory after measuring gravity on microscopic level (research paper near the bottom) (phys.org)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago

1000038765

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I've heard that it's an impossible task. That to actual measure quantum gravity you'd need tiny masses closer than the Planck length to each other.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

No more impossible than any other precise quantum measurement. But that doesn’t have to be the goal post; indirectly making measurements, even on atoms worth of mass helps. Every time we change the setup, the mass, the temperature, the measurements, we can learn something new. Cast enough shadows from different angles and you’ll be able to model what’s casting the shadow. If you study condensed matter physics you’ll quickly learn there’s a lot to be learned and gained from indirect quantum measurements.

[+] [email protected] -32 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Very sophisticated experiment measures that there is nothing new at small scales. (but give us more money so eventually we can measure something new)

[–] [email protected] 23 points 8 months ago

If you are going to make comments that contribute nothing, do us all a favor and don't bother.

Not every experiment is going to give unexpected results. That still tells us something valuable. i.e it places stricter limits on when gravity acts weird in possible models.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I actually appreciate this comment. It's basically a tldr for how experiments work. Confirmation of nothing new is itself a great discovery, on our path to the ToE!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Thanks and indeed I intended my comment be a tldr but also I was trying to debunk the clickbait title.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

For once its not clickbait though.

The traditional formulations of gravity and quantum mechanics are fundamentally incompatible in extreme conditions. Einstein was baffled by quantum mechanics. More then one scientist has eaten their hat trying to get a unified theory, which resulted in string theory among others.

Just the implication that we are close to be able to properly do measurements on quantum scale really is a major step forward to a real quantum gravity theory because:

“Measuring in knowing” -Werner Heisenberg

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Edit: ugh. I just read the article. "Isaac Newton discovered gravity" 🤦‍♂️

Apologies for overreacting. I suck.

Edit 2: Well, even the BBC ways that Newton discovered gravity. I'd way he formulated the laws for gravity, since everyone living on Earth from the dawn for time has experienced gravity first-hand. It's not like Newton discovered this gravity thing hiding under a rock.

But anyway, I'm willing to stand corrected.

(Original comment follows)

~~Why don't you get the fuck out of here?~~

~~I hated reddit for most things, but the science subreddit was (is?) very efficient at removing these comments that contribute nothing else except for wasting server space and people's time.~~