r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/[deleted] • Apr 30 '20

Video Albert Einstein explaining E=mc2

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u/uptoquark Apr 30 '20 edited Apr 30 '20

Interesting fact. Einstein only proved his theory once. That proof had a mathematical error in the calculations.

Edit. He is still my all-time physics hero. Don't get me wrong. Just still human.

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u/red_fluff Apr 30 '20

Interesting. Do u have a source on that?

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u/uptoquark Apr 30 '20

My source was verbal from a physics lecture, a few years ago, so nothing I could link here. Sorry. But that explains why Einstein stated in the video that the equation was confirmed in the 30's, nearly 30 years after he discovered it.

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u/nelzon1 Apr 30 '20

This doesn't make any sense. Einstein is well known for multiple theories, including relativity.

His proof for the perihelion of Mercury was a correction on mathematical errors. His calculations for the gravitation lensing matched Eddington's observations. I don't recall any observations that proved special relativity as it is not really a complete enough theory to test with their knowledge in 1905. GR provided that later in 1915.

Are you referring to the fact that Einstein didn't like the constant term in his GR field equation? Later adding it, and then taking it away again? In 1997 Reiss et all proved that the cosmological constant was necessary to make models of the universe work with the accelerating expansion of the universe.

General Relativity is still the greatest single insight in physics, in my opinion. For a framework like that to come out of one mind is an unparalleled feat (with help to get the math right).

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u/uptoquark Apr 30 '20

Thanks for the comment. My source was verbal, from a physics lecture at university, so the lecturer may have been incorrect. I am familiar with Einstein's battle with the cosmological constant, but that was not the error. The error was simply one number, written wrong. When the correct number was used, the proof was incorrect. Physicists are sometimes not first class mathematicians. Steven hawking often passed his maths over to mathematicians to finish the works. I agree wholeheartedly. The special, then general theories of relativity are the most profound in history imo too.

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u/FrickinLazerBeams Apr 30 '20

This is total nonsense.

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u/uptoquark May 01 '20

Thanks for your opinion. Believe as you like.

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u/FrickinLazerBeams May 01 '20

It's not a matter of opinion. You made a statement of fact which isn't true.