Author: Rodney Brooks

In the article (“With faint chirp, scientists prove Einstein correct”, p. A1, 2/12/16) we read that black holes were part of Einstein’s theory.   The truth is quite different.  “Einstein argued vigorously against black holes [as] incompatible with reality" (see "Black Holes" by R. Anderson) and his opposition held back...

The recent detection of gravitational waves at LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) has captured the imagination of the public. It will stand as one of the great feats of experimental physics, alongside the famous Michelson-Morley experiment of 1887 which it resembles. In fact by comparing...

The probabilistic interpretation of Schrödinger’s equation eventually led to the uncertainty principle of Quantum Mechanics, formulated in 1926 by Werner Heisenberg. This principle states that an electron, or any other particle, can never have its exact position known, or even specified. More precisely, Heisenberg derived...

A major question in physics today is about collapse of the “wave-function”: When does it occur? There have been many speculations (see, e.g., Ghirardi–Rimini–Weber theory, Penrose Interpretation, Physics forum) and experiments (e.g., “Towards quantum superposition of a mirror”) about this. The most extreme view is...