I couldn't resist the pun, my apologies. Gravity, that's a heavy subject.

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My apologies as well, but you shouldn't make light of the subject either.

A somewhat light read at 1280 pages on the subject
https://www.amazon.com/Gravitation-Charles-W-Misner/dp/0691177791

I have always been fascinated by general relativity, but when I was a student at Trieste University, people would laugh at me and say "that is old stuff, study the S matrix instead". Now that "old stuff is" at the spearhead of physics. Prophets before their time are always despised.
Tullio

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Hmm. Seems like the study of S-matrix needs large particle accelerators...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-matrix#Motivation

In high-energy particle physics we are interested in computing the probability for different outcomes in scattering experiments. These experiments can be broken down into three stages:
1. Collide together a collection of incoming particles (usually two particles with high energies).
2. Allowing the incoming particles to interact. These interactions may change the types of particles present (e.g. if an electron and a positron annihilate they may produce two photons).
3. Measuring the resulting outgoing particles.

Anyway. Today the most lasting legacy of the theory is string theory.

Newton's theories have not really been disproved only that there are better approximations that produce more accurate results.

Newton's theories are still the base for astronautics. The BepiColombo space vehicle bound to Mercury is still using them to navigate between the planets.
Tullio

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Reading the January/February issue of CERN Courier one learns that LHC has been shut down and all 7 experiments getting data from it, 4 major and 3 minor, are being upgraded, practically rebuilt, with April 2021 as the target date for restarting. The High Luminosity LHC will provide 10 times more data than in the past, and this will put a heavy load on computing resources. Meanwhile the LHC@home volunteers are still giving their support by simulating particle collisions. I am one of them. I got a LHC polo shirt as a thanks for a 10 years cooperation and a warm note from 3 CERN scientists.
Tullio

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Anf of course the biggest laugh? Quantum physics is apparently about sub-atomic particles, pretty small stuff. Yet we say a "quantum leap" to describe a sudden advance (especially in science or technology) that is an unexpected large step forward in knowledge.

The latin word Quantum has two meanings.
1. how much, how many
2. how big
For some strange reason in English you chose no 2 instead of no 1 like in most other languages.

The fundamental notion that a physical property may be "quantized" is referred to as "the hypothesis of quantization".[1] This means that the magnitude of the physical property can take on only discrete values consisting of integer multiples of one quantum.
In 1901, Max Planck used quanta to mean "quanta of matter and electricity",[5] gas, and heat.[6].

According to INFN press releases the LHCb experiment at CERN has found a solution to the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the decay of the D0 meson, which breaks the CP symmetry, where C stand for charge and P for parity. I am taking part in the BOINC project LHC@home which covers also the LHCb experiment.
Tullio

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According to INFN press releases the LHCb experiment at CERN has found a solution to the matter/antimatter asymmetry in the decay of the D0 meson, which breaks the CP symmetry, where C stand for charge and P for parity. I am taking part in the BOINC project LHC@home which covers also the LHCb experiment.
Tullio

https://home.cern/news/press-release/physics/lhcb-sees-new-flavour-matter-antimatter-asymmetry

CERN will have a new building area, designed by Renzo Piano, called Science Gateway and meaning to explain elementary particle physics to the laymen. It will be built on a 8000 square meters area near the CERN entrance, at a cost of 80 million euros, mostly paid by the FiatChryslerAuto concern, as wanted by Sergio Marchionne, the former CEO of FCA. It will be powered by solar panels.
Tullio

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