Space and time are two of the greatest mysteries known to us. Space is something in which we are all immersed and through which we carry out our daily lives. It can separate us from others or bring us very close. Time on the other hand is certainly that which goes by too quickly, but occasionally seems to take forever. And don't forget about when you really wished you had more of it. Indeed, we all share experiences that humanize two of the most captivating ideas in all of physics and yet we just can't seem to pin them down. Space and time are on one hand, concrete and intuitive, but on the other, they are illusive and unfamiliar.
About 100 years ago Albert Einstein helped to augment our understanding of what it means to move through space and to observe the passage of time. For this reason, 2005 has been dedicated the World Year of Physics: Einstein in the 21st Century. Einstein, who died on April 18, 1955, is without a doubt, an icon for most physicists, but he is also a hero for anyone who has looked at the night sky and wondered about the beauty and extent of our universe. Einstein had the courage to question the obvious and jostle the comfortable. In 1905 he submitted four papers to the German physics journal, Annalen der Physik, and with virtually no references or citations to support his claims he completely revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Hundreds of years of time-tested belief about reality crumbled to the ground.
Unfortunately for most of us, we don't seem to realize Einstein's efforts in our daily lives. We just don't feel them in our bones. The trouble is that we are stuck between a rock and a hard spot — or perhaps a large and a small spot. That is, our bodies, our cars, our textbooks, and everything else we love (or hate) are much smaller than the stars and galaxies of the universe which are deeply influenced by Einstein's predictions because of their enormous masses. But on the other hand, we are gigantic compared to the size of the tiniest particles in the universe and so we are removed from the necessity of quantum calculations which often yield nearly unbelievable results. Thus, for us, we seem to live in a world coated with a veneer, hiding always the deep secrets of the true workings of nature.
In spite of this difficulty we have come very far. On Oct. 13, Eric Cornell, Nobel Laureate in physics, will be speaking at Marquette. He will discuss his efforts in creating a substance so cold it has a temperature of nearly absolute zero — the possibility of which, was predicted by Einstein over 80 years ago. Albeit, the immortal characters of space and time are once again threatening to dismantle our grand theories of the universe. Physics is again, ripe for revolution. This time, many physicists believe this new retelling of the laws of nature will illuminate a spectacular picture of the reality in which we live — one that is both strange and beautiful. From possible extra dimensions of space to multiple universes, we stand poised with Einstein's spirit, as we allow our curiosity to guide us in understanding the universe and our place in it.
This viewpoint was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 6, 2005.