Gravity Probe B: Pre-launch press conference clips 1

Kip Thorne (Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech) talks about Gravity Probe B in these extracts from a pre-launch press conference, April 2nd 08. Source- http://einstein.stanford.edu/Media/

0:00 The Missing Inch
1:52 The Significance of GP-B
4:50 GP-B in the Context of Black Holes

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Gravity
• Probe
• frame-dragging
• lense-thirring
• effect
• black
• holes

[Kg277]

missing inch.. my dick!!

[Muphlon]

a-e-e...

[ActiveStorage]

Once again for those who came in late,

to have a real PHYSICAL aka MEASURABLE aka not theoretical and not geometrical 3d space distortion you need an extra PHYSICAL dimension to distort your space into. If one doesn't realize that Einstein's 4th extra dimension of space is TIME and if one doesnt realize that time is NOT a physical dimension of space but rather a geometrical interpretation of purely mathematical concept of space-time continuum than i cant help this person.

[fiesta181]

well ActiveStorage, if you insist, according to GR (that's what's about) we live in the fourth dimension...

So we can go back to your logic of *less one* dimension.

Like Chilledtea said, it's the tilts in the axis of the spinning sphere that we will measure.

Scientists predict to measure changes in the axis in the order of about 60 arcsec (1 arc minute =1/60 degree and so on) per year.

No sweat, I'm glad you asked.

[wIzZaRd4893]

I would like to point out that ActiveStorage is a dick. Like someone's going to say multiple high precision gyroscope every time they mean the sphere (and yes it is a sphere) that is inside the probe. WTF is wrong with you,. Your knew what Chilledtea meant, stop trying to play smart and HARDEN THE F&*(# UP!!!!

[ActiveStorage]

Oh really? a spinning sphere? I thought they use multiple high precision gyroscopes.

anyway my point was that those gyros (or spheres lol) can only be stabilized in 3 (aka three) dimensions because we all live in 3 dimensional space. But to measure a 3 dimensional space distortion they need an extra dimension which they dont have. Just like to measure a 2 dimentional space distortion you need a 3 dimentional space. (they do it in the video)

Makes sense?

[Chilledtea]

@ActiveStorage: That's the reason they are using Gravity Probe B. At the center of the device, there is a sphere spinning in it's axis. If there is no space distortion, it will remain spinning on it's axis in a fixed position. However, if there is space distortion, the sphere will still spin on it's axis, but the axis itself will have tilted slightly. They will use a very powerful sensor to detect such tilts, which will prove twists in spacetime.

[jayboss22]

IIIEEEEHH, blabla, IEEEEEHHHHH, bla bla bla IIIEEHHH. Listen with eyes closed. lololol

[ActiveStorage]

i understand how one can measure a 2 dimensional space wrap or frame dragging or w\e they want to measure in three dimentional space BUT

how can they measure a THREE dimensional space distortion while being in the same 3 dimensional space? Dont you need an extra dimension to make such measurements?

[johnfrazee]

Awesome! Thank you.