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It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

quantamagazine.org

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Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#81

Post by alkonaut »

somat wrote: post #55
gary_0 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Electromagnetism is both a continuous wave and a discrete particle, so it makes sense to me that a continuous spacetime curvature could also be a discrete particle at the same time. (Keeping in mind we're not talking about tangible shapes but mathematical models that describe aspects of reality that are hard for humans to intuitively conceptualize.) Of course, our idea of how to reconcile quantum gravity with general…

My understanding is the particle model of electromagnetism, the photon, really only shows up where the em field interacts with matter(electrons really), the em field itself is not quantized, or at least not quantized at the level of the photon. Not that this really matters(intentional), we can only interact with the em field as matter so that is what matters.

> matter so that is what matters

At first I thought this was a great pun. But then this is perhaps also the reason the word is actually "matters"? Where "matters" is what means something? What matters is what has an observable effect?

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#82

Post by sampo »

dcl wrote: post #30
ta93754829 wrote: post #10

So I thought gravity was basically the curvature of spacetime. But if there's a "gravity" particle, those two things seem mutually exclusive? Can someone who understands this please explain it to me, thanks!

Yes. I've seen lots of twitter/X posts lately about how Gravity is not actually a force. But how can that be true if there is a force carrying "gravity" particle? Or is the word 'force' being used loosely here?

> if there is a force carrying "gravity" particle?

There is not. Or maybe there is not. At least so far there is not. We have never observed one. "Graviton" particle is just a hypothesis. Outside of some people theorizing that graviton could exist, there is no observations that it exists.

"In theories of quantum gravity, the graviton is the hypothetical quantum of gravity"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graviton

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#84

Post by ben_w »

7373737373 wrote: post #77
DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

Re. 2), what word should be used instead? "Massive concerted/collaborative effort"?

"Polite debate".

If this was a war, the UN headquarters has been a war-zone continuously since it started, as has every parliament, congress, and senate.

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#85

Post by wizzwizz4 »

skhunted wrote: post #78
DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

Please spare me that "war" simile, it only shows you're an American who can not write too well. It’s understandable that you don’t like the desensitization of war that comes from our over usage of the word. Perhaps it speaks to a defect in American culture but this is how we communicate in our language. I think Arabic has too much emphasis on allah related phrases. But that’s how they speak. Nothing I can do about it…

English has a lot of "oh my god", "god-willing", "oh god", "god no", too.

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#86

Post by criddell »

DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

> spare me that "war" simile

It's not a simile, is it? They aren't saying it's like a war.

My dictionary lists a bunch of definitions for war that fit this usage.

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#87

Post by goodpoint »

DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

> Please spare me that "war" simile

+1, normalizing "war" as a synonym of effort is pretty much orwellian.

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#88

Post by evantbyrne »

DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

You seem to be frequently flame posting about America. Are you going to be okay?

Re: It might be possible to detect gravitons after all

#89

Post by Smithalicious »

skhunted wrote: post #78
DemocracyFTW2 wrote: post #57

I choked on this part: > The discussion recalls a messy, largely forgotten episode from the dawn of the quantum era. In 1905, Einstein interpreted experimental data to mean that light is “quantized,” coming in discrete particles now called photons. Others, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck, thought that the classical, wave nature of light might still be saved. [...] Most physicists presume that everything in the wo…

Please spare me that "war" simile, it only shows you're an American who can not write too well. It’s understandable that you don’t like the desensitization of war that comes from our over usage of the word. Perhaps it speaks to a defect in American culture but this is how we communicate in our language. I think Arabic has too much emphasis on allah related phrases. But that’s how they speak. Nothing I can do about it…

Let's split the difference and start talking about the "jihad on drugs"
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