Einstein's Theory Bends Earth Space-time

Einstein's theory of relativity deals with the structure of spacetime. Within this theory, many interesting results emerge, such as time dilation, length contraction, relativity of simultaneity, and mass-energy equivalence. Scientists have managed to prove Einstein's theory of relativity in accordance to space time curvature described in Einstein's theory.

Three years ago, NASA launched a $750 million dollar gravity probe into space which sole purpose was to verify Einstein's predictions from Earth's orbit. Earlier this year, investigator Francis Everitt delivered the results in a meeting at the American Physics Society, verifying that the data gathered from the gravity probe have a margin of error within one percent.

Researchers who launched the gravity probe state that the trick to confirming Einstein's theory of relativity lies in the four ping pong ball sized gyroscopes that lie in the heart of the probe. The gyroscopes are unique in themselves, as they are the most spherical man-made object in existence. This achievement has earned them a reputable spot within the book, Guinness World Records. At phase one of the experiment, the gyroscopes' axes point to a distant star and as the gravity probe orbits around the Earth for the majority of a year, researchers back at NASA meticulously monitor the position of the axes.

Einstein predicted that due to the effect of Earth's pull on space-time, there should be a shift in the gyroscopes' axes by about 0.0018 of a degree. After a painstaking 18 months of analyzing the data taken from the probe, Everitt and his team of researchers measured the shift in the axes of the gyroscopes to within one percent of Einstein's prediction.

Everitt and his team are indeed impressed with their work, as he says that the results are "Sweet indeed. It's really extraordinary to look at the findings and ponder the amazing thought that Einstein was able to make such an astounding prediction that would later come true in the future." To Everitt and his team of researchers, this experimental measurement is by far unparalleled in the field of general relativity.