Re: History of gravity theory


<David.Paterson@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1149076231.153339.248820@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| I've learnt about significant alternatives to and major extensions to
| GR in a totally amateur and piecemeal way and know that I've missed a
| lot.
|
| What have been the most significant alternatives to and major
| extensions to GR in the past 100 years?


The re-establishment of Newtonian Mechanics.
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/operations/saturn-time.cfm
http://www.androcles01.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Synchronize/Synchronize.htm
http://www.androcles01.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/GPS/sundials.htm

| What have been the most
| important experimental tests of GR in the past 100 years (refs)?

None.

|
| On alternatives and extensions to GR (including discredited ones), I
| can think of:
| Nordstrom's
| Einstein's later attempts at a unified field theory
| Kaluza-Klein
| Brans-Dicke
| Scalar-vector, scalar-tensor, vector-tensor, tensor-tensor,
| scalar-vector-tensor theories
| Supergravity
| Quantum Loop gravity
| M-theory
| MOND + Brans-Dicke
| Berthold-Heim and Droesler's extension
| Other?
|
| Is there a good history book (with lots of equations) that explains the
| common parts of and differences between these theories?

Yep:
http://www.androcles01.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Smart/Smart.htm
Androcles




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