Author: JRM (---.co.uk)
Date: 06-08-2004 05:50
I though this was a particularly good Genre write-up, but I couldn't help noticing a couple of scientific errors.
First, when you said
Einsten's (sic) relativity informs us that lightspeed is the maximum acceleration possible,
I'm sure you meant maximum *velocity*.
Secondly, I'll agree "gravity waves" are a silly rationale for force field, but they are definitely not 17th century science. There are phenomena called "gravity waves" which where predicted by Einstein in 1916, although they are still only theoretical. Basically, gravity is thought to propogate at lightspeed, so whenever a mass moves it will send out "gravitational ripples" through surrounding space. These are called gravity waves. Scientists have sought to detect them using laser interferometry for some time. I remember my astrophysics class were given a talk by an astronomer involved in a gravity-wave research project, I think it was in 1988. Unfortunately, gravity is a very weak force, so gravity waves will be extremely hard to detect. A very impressive-looking current project is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory - their webpage is http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/.
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