More About GR History
The study of general relativity, entered the mainstream of theoretical physics. Terms were introduced, including black holes and 'gravitational singularity'. At the same time, the study of physical cosmology entered the mainstream including the Big Bang.
- Role of curvature in general relativity;
- Theoretical importance of the black holes;
- Importance of geometrical machinery and levels of mathematical structure, especially local versus global spacetime structure;
- Overall legitimacy of cosmology by the wider physics community.
A competitor to general relativity (the Brans-Dicke theory), and the first "precision tests" of gravitation theories. Discoveries in observational astronomy are:
- Quasars (objects the size of the solar system and as luminous as a hundred modern galaxies, so distant that they date from the early years of the universe);
- Pulsars (soon interpreted as spinning neutron stars);
- The first credible candidate black hole, Cygnus X-1;
- The cosmic background radiation, hard evidence of the Big Bang and the subsequent expansion of the universe.
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