Einstein's general theory of relativity is one of humankind's greatest achievements, and the theory passed its first test in what is now part of Broome's lawn bowls club in far north-west Australia.
Historian Robyn Wells was delighted to realise her local bowling club had played a fundamental part in such a significant historical moment.
"This building still exists," Ms Wells said.
"It was the radio station and now is the Broome Bowling Club. And is actually the ladies' and gentlemen's toilets."
A major scientific expedition had been mounted in 1922 to photograph an eclipse of the sun at Wallal, 350 kilometres south of Broome.
The photographic plates were brought back to Broome and developed in the radio station building, where they provided conclusive proof that the sun caused space to curve, passing the first test in verifying Einstein's theory.
Going over historical documents from the time, Ms Wells realised the place where observational evidence of general relativity was first gathered is now the Broome Bowling Club.
"I did more research and just made absolutely sure this is the building, and it is."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Monday September 24 2018, @08:56AM (6 children)
https://www.space.com/37018-solar-eclipse-proved-einstein-relativity-right.html [space.com]
1919.
During The War To End All Wars, Albert Einstein became more famous than he at first was because of his outspoken pacifism. Back then, to be a pacifist was regarded my many as being just as bad as a child molester; Einstein therefore was quite courageous to go public with his anti-war opinions.
But by 1919, so many were so very weary of war that they were quite enthusiastic to read about a major discovery by a Man Of Peace. The success of the 1919 African GR expedition made the front page of newspapers all over the planet.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by driverless on Monday September 24 2018, @01:17PM (4 children)
Yeah, but that was in São Tomé und Príncipe, not Australia. Australia has Crocodile Dundee, Mel Gibson, and Russell Crowe, all of whom have appeared in major Hollywood movies, while the US has never bombed, caused a revolution in, or invaded São Tomé, so no-one in the US knows where it is, or possibly even that it exists.
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Monday September 24 2018, @02:15PM
It could have been a relative, for relativity's sake.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Monday September 24 2018, @04:57PM
while the US has never bombed, caused a revolution in, or invaded
Don't worry, we don't know where any of those places are, either.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Monday September 24 2018, @09:43PM (1 child)
Ahem.
Russell Crowe is a Kiwi.
We're OK with the Aussies claiming him though.
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Tuesday September 25 2018, @01:18AM
No, no, we insist, you keep him.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 24 2018, @05:31PM
Einstein was an extreme zionist and racist. Read about his views about Black people and you will see the rot inside.
The so-called man of peace... More like a man of death. His creation murdered more people per bomb than anything before. He brought death to innocent men women and children. He gave cancer to babies.