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Einstein, Cosmology and the Speed of Light (January 17, 2003, Two)

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Program Summary

Think there’s nothing new under the sun? Think again. Today’s discussion looks at exciting research in the field of cosmology.

Ira’s first guest has advanced the idea that the speed of light is not constant, as Einstein theorized, but varied, a concept that both challenges and complements the theory of relativity. Dr. Joao Magueijo feels that a varied speed of light will solve problems that Einstein’s work could not explain; he also feels that he has encountered skepticism from the scientific world because the concept disagrees with a basic component of the relativity theory, considered the first commandment of cosmology.

Another announcement that has made a stir is the determination that the universe is older than we thought. New data derived from measuring distances from Earth to globular clusters of ancient stars on the edge of our galaxy has led cosmologists to push the age of the universe back to 11.2 billion years, almost a billion and a half years more than the previous estimate. As Dr. Lawrence Krauss puts it, “Who cares?” The adjustment in age has implications regarding the speed at which the universe is expanding and the existence of “dark energy,” a “mysterious form of cosmic antigravity” that may be causing acceleration of the expansion. It seems that the universe will be pulled apart in about, oh, another 10 billion years.

A question that arises during the program is the relevance of the peer review process, the traditional system of evaluating new research. In this process, a research paper is submitted to established journals for publication consideration. A committee of scientists in that particular field reviews the paper and decides whether the paper will be published or not. The process is notoriously slow, sometimes taking up to year, and rejection can make it difficult for the author to gain credibility for the work. These days, however, many scientists are circumventing the peer review process by publishing their research on the Internet, which does not require any sort of review and provides a forum for immediate feedback.

Guests

Joao Magueijo, lecturer in theoretical physics at Imperial College in London

Lawrence Krauss, professor of physics and astronomy at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio

Books Discussed

Faster Than the Speed of Light: The Story of a Scientific Speculation by Joao Magueijo. Perseus Publishing, 2003

Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth ... and Beyond by Lawrence Krauss. Little, Brown, 2001.

Related Links and Resources

Case Western Reserve University, January 2, 2003: “Physicists Set Lower Age of Universe at 11.2 Billion Years”
Space.com, Jan. 3, 2003: “Age of Universe Revised, Again”
Albert Einstein Online
American Institute of Physics History Center: Albert Einstein: Image and Impact
NASA: Cosmology: the Study of the Universe

For Discussion:

• What does the word “cosmology” mean? What do cosmologists study?
• A widely accepted scientific theory about the beginnings of the universe is called the __________________ theory (Big Bang). How does it explain the creation of the universe?
• How fast is the speed of light according to Einstein? (186,000 miles [299,274 km] per second)
• Do you think the universe is infinite?
• Scientists have different ideas on how the universe will end. Most think it will be pulled apart; others believe it will collapse in on itself. Do you think the universe will end? If so, how will it happen?
• Ira’s guest thinks that Einstein might be wrong about the speed of light. Can you think of any ideas that were accepted as fact for a long time but later proved to be wrong?

Activities

To Jupiter and beyond. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has so many sites it’ll make your head spin, but a good place to start is at the Jet Propulsion Lab’s Origins program. This site is dedicated to answering the questions “Where are we from?” and “Are we alone?” Videos, animations, and tutorials explore the beginnings of the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

3, 2, 1, blast off! NASA’s Liftoff to Space Exploration has a more sophisticated approach to cosmology for teenagers.

All aboard. Take a 3-D tour of the universe at NOVA Online | Runaway Universe. This fascinating site also offers an interactive history-of-the-universe timeline, online activities, and wonderful animations. Poke into every corner or you’ll miss something great.

A job for Sherlock Holmes. Solve Mysteries of Deep Space, a Public Broadcasting Service production. Trivia, an interactive timeline, and classroom activities make learning painless. Students can calculate travel time from Earth to various destinations using the chart on the Time Travel to the Edge of the Universe and Back! activity page. They can then jet over to Liftoff to Space Exploration, another NASA site, and use a chart (How Big : Travel Time from the Earth) to see how long the same trips take by jet, rocket, and sunbeam!

Smarter than the average bear. We can’t all be Einstein, but we can learn to think like him at Think Like Einstein activity, part of NOVA Online | Time Travel. We are taken by the hand and led through the theory of relativity step by step.

Faster than a speeding bullet. No site can explain the theory of relativity or the speed of light better than NOVA Online/Einstein Revealed, originally a PBS program. Two great activities, The Light Stuff and Time Traveler, are fun demonstrations that make Einstein’s theories come alive.

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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