The Spacetime Ladder
Explore humanity's journey to understand the fundamental laws of space and time, from ancient cosmology to modern physics.
350 BCE
Aristotle's Cosmology
Aristotle proposed the geocentric model, claiming that Earth was the center of the universe with celestial bodies revolving around it. This model dominated Western astronomy for nearly 2000 years.
Key Equations & Concepts
This era was characterized by conceptual rather than mathematical developments in our understanding of spacetime.
Historical Impact
Aristotle's geocentric model provided a coherent framework for understanding the cosmos that remained dominant for nearly two millennia, shaping Western thought.
Evolution of Spacetime Understanding
Each milestone represents a fundamental shift in our understanding of the universe's most basic fabric.
350 BCE
Aristotle's Cosmology
Aristotle proposed the geocentric model, claiming that Earth was the center of the universe with celestial bodies revolving around it. This model dominated Western astronomy for nearly 2000 years.
1543
Copernican Revolution
Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model in "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," challenging the long-standing geocentric view and opening a new chapter in modern astronomy.
1687
Newton's Universal Gravitation
Isaac Newton introduced the law of universal gravitation in "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy," explaining planetary motion and unifying terrestrial and celestial physics.
1905
Special Relativity
Einstein published the theory of special relativity, proposing that space and time are relative, light speed remains constant in all reference frames, time dilates with velocity, and mass and energy are equivalent.
1915
General Relativity
Einstein's general relativity described gravity as the curvature of spacetime, predicting gravitational waves, black holes, and cosmic expansion, fundamentally changing our understanding of the universe.
1920s-1930s
Birth of Quantum Mechanics
Schrödinger, Heisenberg, and other physicists developed quantum mechanics, describing the strange behavior of the microscopic world, including wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, and quantum superposition.
Contemporary
Search for Grand Unified Theory
Physicists are working to unify general relativity and quantum mechanics. String theory and loop quantum gravity are promising candidates attempting to construct a theory encompassing all physical phenomena.