Quantum-Cosmology and Gravity
The strangest consequences of quantum mechanics had only been seen at the atomic and molecular levels. Recent experiments, however, showed quantum superpositions in much larger ‘superconducting quantum interference devices’ (SQUID’s for short).
This has raised the extraordinary possibility of ‘Schrodinger’s Cat’ states (this refers to Schrodinger’s remark that quantum mechanics in principle allowed a Cat to be simultaneously in alive and dead states).
In 1960-70’s, brilliant theoretical work allowed a unified picture of all particles except those strung to gravity.
The fundamental particles are ‘heavy’ particles (the quarks), from which matter is constructed, and other particles like photons or gluons, which tie the heavy particles together. The big blot on the picture below does not include gravity:
In 1916 Einstein completed his general theory of relativity, which gave a unified theory of spacetime and gravitation. We now had a theory which could talk about the entire universe.
the warping of space-time
Some of the consequences were so revolutionary that even Einstein had trouble with them. These included the prediction in 1938 of regions (vortices) of collapsed space/time, later called ‘black holes’, because we cannot see what is in there.
In 1967 neutron stars were discovered. We now have evidence for many ‘black holes’ in our galaxy, as well as ‘supermassive holes’ in the centers of many galaxies.
Many high-energy processes occurring in stars are hard to explain without general relativity. Its consequences have been more surprising than most science fiction.
