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Going over historical documents from the time, Ms Wells realised the place where observational evidence of general relativity was first gathered is now the Broome Bowling Club.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: 2) by Lester on Monday September 24 2018, @11:36AM (2 children)
According with relativity theory, when the Sun was in the middle of two stars, the gravity should curve the light and the stars should look closer. They needed an eclipse to be able to see the starts in the daylight. And the result was: They were closer, a effect that classic physics couldn't explain, but relativity predicted.
By the way, once I read that the error range in the measure was almost as wide as the calculated difference expected. But it was after the WWW I and wanted some kind of reconciliation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 24 2018, @12:15PM
Relativity predicted twice the as much displacement as Newton, so it wasnt the existence of displacement that mattered.
(Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Monday September 24 2018, @05:04PM
Not closer, just offset from their normal position in the sky.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk