The Man Who Corrected Einstein

The transcript discusses Einstein's development of a new theory of gravity, which initially matched Newton's Law but provided new predictions for Mercury's orbit and starlight bending. However, Einstein made a mistake in predicting a static universe. Russian physicist Friedmann corrected this, showing the universe could expand or contract. The transcript reflects on biases and the importance of admitting mistakes, suggesting Einstein's error delayed his discovery of Friedmann's equations, which are crucial to understanding the universe's structure.

What was one of the phenomena that Einstein's new gravity description successfully predicted?

• The bending of starlight by the sun

• The static nature of the universe

• The speed of light in a vacuum

• The existence of black holes

Why did Einstein initially believe the universe was static?

• He had no evidence of expansion or contraction

• He made a technical mistake in his calculations

• He observed the universe through a telescope

• He was influenced by Friedmann's work

What did Friedmann's calculations reveal about the universe?

• It was static and unchanging

• It could be expanding, contracting, or static

• It was filled with dark matter

• It was shrinking rapidly

How did Einstein respond to Friedmann's correction?

• He ignored it completely

• He argued against it with new evidence

• He collaborated with Friedmann on new research

• He published a retraction of his criticism

What lesson can be learned from Einstein's experience with Friedmann?

• Always trust your initial calculations

• Biases can prevent us from seeing the truth

• Never admit to making a mistake

• Scientific theories are always static