Physicists Apply Einstein's General Theory of Relativity to Superconducting Circuits

[sofa king]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110610094513.htm

ScienceDaily (June 9, 2011) — In recent years, UC Santa Barbara scientists showed that they could reproduce a basic superconductor using Einstein's general theory of relativity. Now, using the same theory, they have demonstrated that the Josephson junction could be reproduced. The results are explained in a recent issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.

The Josephson junction, a device that was first discovered by Brian David Josephson in the early 1960's, is a main ingredient in applications of superconductivity.

...

Horowitz said that he and his co-authors used tools from string theory to develop the gravity model of a superconductor. He explained that it was surprising to be able to link Einstein's general theory of relativity to a totally different area of physics. He said he hoped that the new tools would one day be able to shed light on new types of superconductors.

...

Horowitz and his research team found what could be called a gravitational model, or a gravitational dual -- a dual description of a superconductor using gravity, black holes, and all of the traditional ingredients of general relativity. "This came as quite a surprise because this is a totally different area of physics, which is now being connected to this condensed matter area," said Horowitz.

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Wow. If this one holds up, it looks like we may be a step closer to interconnecting relativity and quantum mechanics. I'm not wise enough to evaluate the claim myself, though I have always been suspicious of string theory because the mathematics always worked at a level several orders of magnitude below reliable observation. What do you think?

[midnight]

1. Hmmm. K&R for you smart people who get this stuff...

Einstein suffered with math and the educational system and then comes through history as a mind ahead of it's time... Interconnecting relativity and quantum mechanics... http://www.awesomestories.com/assets/general-theory-of-relativity-einsteins-masterpiece-1

[eppur_se_muova]

2. Einstein said that the one most important principle guiding his development of general relativity ..

was that the equations should resemble those of electromagnetism.

So, isn't working backwards from relativity to EM just deconstruction?

[laconicsax]

3. FWIW: Quantum electrodynamics is relativistic.

Quantum theory doesn't work with general relativity, but QED works with special relativity.

[sofa king]

5. Ah! Thank you!

[Ready4Change]

4. You don't need to understand a hammer to use one.

Admittedly, a good understanding lets you use the hammer WELL. Lets you use the right shaped hammer for the purpose to which it was designed, etc. But you can drive a nail just fine with most of them.

Perhaps string theory is similar. Perhaps we don't full understand it's repercussions. Perhaps we've got many of the details wrong, or the basis of it is all whacked up. However, if it provides tools that function, to a greater or lesser extent, it is still useful, at least until our knowledge improves.

Now, I have to go fix a leaking faucet with this ball-peen hammer.