Lecturer: Prof. Clifford M. Will
Affiliation: University of Florida,
Gainesville and Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
Abstract:
Einstein formulated general relativity 100 years
ago. Although it is generally considered a great
triumph, the theory's early years were
characterized by conceptual confusion, empirical
uncertainties and a lack of relevance to ordinary
physics. But in recent decades, a remarkably
diverse set of precision experiments has
established it as the "standard model" for
gravitational physics. Yet it might not be the final
word. We review a century of measurements that
have verified general relativity, and describe some
of the opportunities and challenges involved in
testing Einstein’s great theory in strong-field
regimes and in gravitational waves.