On Wednesday 9th December, join Cardiff astronomers and physicists to celebrate the centenary of Albert Einstein’s most famous work, his “General Theory of Relativity”.
In November 1915 Einstein revolutionised how we understand the Universe with his General Theory of Relativity. It was General Relativity that made Einstein famous, and the reason he has remained a universally recognised symbol of genius for 100 years. He revealed that space and time are curved — the orbits of planets around the sun are not due to some mysterious force, they are just following the shortest path through curved spacetime.
The astounding results of 1915 were only the beginning. By the 1960s General Relativity had predicted some of the most exotic phenomena we know of, including black holes, the Big Bang and the expanding Universe. Einstein’s theory has never ceased to uncover new wonders. That will continue into the theory’s second century, with the promise of the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the construction of increasingly sensitive experiments to listen to the gravitational soundtrack of the Universe.
Cardiff University is an international centre for some of the most exciting new work on Einstein’s theory. In this series of three short lectures, Cardiff researchers Dr Stephen Fairhurst, Professor Mark Hannam and Dr Patrick Sutton will talk about Einstein’s theory, one of its most famous predictions over the past century (black holes), and the potential of gravitational waves to bring new surprises in the future.
Come and join us for an evening reception followed by a series of talks about Einstein’s Revolution and the ongoing research taking place here in Cardiff and around the world.
Venue
Julian Hodge Building, Cardiff University (CF10 3EU – Map)
Date and Time
Wednesday 9th December, 6-8:30pm
Drinks Reception (6-7pm)
Join us for a drinks reception. Light refreshments, including wine and soft drinks, will be provided.
Talks (7-8:30pm)
- General Relativity: Einstein’s Masterpiece (Dr Steve Fairhurst)
- The Irresistible Attraction of Black Holes (Prof Mark Hannam)
- Gravitational Waves: Surfing with Einstein (Dr Patrick Sutton)
Talks are suitable for age 14+. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
For a bit of background, you can listen to Mark and Patrick on the November 2015 edition of the Pythagorean Astronomy podcast. You could also watch the short video below.
