Book Review: Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio

Science is not as concrete as we believe it to be. What we know today as fact was once only theory. Only through the evaluation of those premises, conclusions, and so called “facts” can society continue to develop its scientific beliefs. Brilliant Blunders highlights those major miscalculations by great scientific thinkers that led to other discoveries and truths even though that was not the scientist’s intention.

Let us consider Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity that proposes objects move in relation to each other in time creating the space-time continuum that still holds true today. He also proposed a concept called dark energy. He later removed the theory calling it a mistake. A problem resulted when other researchers confirmed that it actually exists. NASA currently believes that dark energy constitutes most of our universe and Einstein was right.

Science is on its own continuum of development. Mistakes are rarely accidental and require significant learned skill to make correctly. For example, the incorrect model of DNA proposed by Linus Pauling was wrong but also helped to develop a better model of DNA. The same can be said of Darwin’s Origin of Species. The incorrect models of thinking were leaps in intellectual advancement that helped others to think differently.

Science is about putting forward a hypothesis, model and theory. They are all only explanations that can change over time as new discoveries are found. A hypothesis is tested to create a model and models are used to develop theories. A model is the physical representation of a theory and is used to generate a theory. Sometimes models are derived from a theory to test the validity of that theory.

People propose ideas and concepts and these may not always be correct. However, as they move through the scientific method they also develop affirmations and negations that can be used in other theories. Science is an additive process whereby each study helps lend support or remove support for concepts until a predominant theory takes hold. Blunders are part of that process of learning.

The book helps scientists understand that there is no such thing as a mistake as some of the greatest discoveries in the world are mistakes. Mistakes add to the body of knowledge and this body of knowledge makes its way slowly into the collective intelligence. Such knowledge is then used to advance practical concerns in the business and civilian world. If you want to understand how to make a mistake the right way read this book.

Livio, M. (2013). Brilliant Blunders: From Darwin to Einstein-Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists that Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe. Simon and Schulster, NY. ISBN 9781439192368

Albert Einstein Philosophy on Religion and Science

Albert Einstein was known for his ability to conceptualize concepts back to their beginning or root. He wasn’t a great mathematician or writer, but was excellent as an abstract thinker. Today he is seen as one of the top three most intelligent people in the world who changed the nature of science and became a model of intelligence. His ideas on religion and science is one that aligns with a number early philosophers. His beliefs were based in his deep study of religion in his childhood and scientific beliefs in later years.

Like Spinoza he believed in a God of all things but not necessarily a personalized God. His argument is that as society developed there was the God of Fear, The God of Providence, and finally a Cosmic Religion. The development of the Cosmic Religion is believed to be a sign of critical analysis because of the inherent scientific examination of God into cause and effect in the world. Morality then becomes more subjective.

The God of Fear was invented to help people formalize their vision and explain an unexplainable world. To them mystical powers, punishments from the heavens, and causes could only be attributed to a supreme ruler and mystical being.  The concept of God was a manifestation of fear of the world and those who had power in society. A priestly structure was developed that helped people talk to their God in much the same way people talked to their Kings. 

The God of Providence was a higher state in human development. It is the God that protects, provides, and gives life. Some argue that this God applies to only their own religion or their own culture. It is an individual God that helps society become more moral. This is often seen in the differences of mindset that is associated with the old world rules replaced by a more loving world. It is an advancement in the way people think in terms of their ability to treat each other for society’s sake. Naturally some are included and some excluded from this “saved” concept based upon their cultural differences. 

The cosmic God is unchained from specific religious points of view. There is no old man on a cloud throwing lightning bolts like Thor nor is there a specific God related to a particular sect, religion, culture or race. It is a God that applies to everyone in the way that Democritus, Francis of Assisi, and Spinoza saw it. Science and religion become wrapped into a more singular mindset. Each becomes a path to the truth with a God that is more universal and embedded into the nature of all human beings. 

Einstein’s conception of God is certainly interesting. He is right in the sense that the more we are aware of the cause and effect of life the more we are likely to remove images of little devils behind our kitchen cupboards or a God on a cloud. Yet like Einstein there are a great many things we must admit we don’t know. He felt that there were laws that needed to be followed and this is a sign of intelligent design. The cosmic religion is one of education, sympathy, and social ties. We cannot forget that each seed has within it the need to grow, develop, and reproduce without being a product of randomness. We can be sure there will be a continually search for truth among scientists and the spiritual class.

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity Finds a Planet Similar to Earth

Einstein was right again! It is amazing that over a hundred years ago the specific and general theory of relativity was published by Albert Einstein the odd mathematician that spent months in his basement thinking and testing mathematical models. This theory is still being tested with a high level of success and recently found a new Earth like planet far away in space. You may read Einstein’s concepts in Relativity: The Special and General Theory.

The BEER algorithm (Beaming effect with Ellipsoidal and Reflection/emission modulations) was used to discover a new planet (Kepler-76b) with earth like qualities. This planet’s existence was confirmed through more traditional methods. What is unique about this instance is that it sheds further credibility on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. The planet is one of the first to show super-rotational (surface rotation such as clouds, wind, etc…) evidence in the Kepler band area of space. 

The planet exists in the constellation Cygnus which is around 2,000 light-years from Earth. The size of the planet is approximately 1.25X the size of Jupiter. As this planet moves around its star it maintains the same angle and face to this planet. This means the same side always is pointed toward its mother star as it rotates around the planet. 

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics used the Kepler Space Telescope to view the star from three effects as it moved through its orbit. 

Three Effects:

-Beaming/Doppler Boosting: The changes in light radiance that occur when gravity pushes and pulls the light beams.

-Gravitational Tides: When viewed from certain angles the planet can seem larger or smaller.

-Starlight Reflection: Detecting the reflection of light on the planet.

The Theory of Relativity encourages an understand that as the light moves closer to us it will become brighter and as it moves away from us it will be less bright. By using the telescope and the BEER algorithm scientists were able to determine these differences and narrow in on a planet. They then use other methods to verify its existence.

Source

The measurements are so small that the human eye and an earth based telescope would not be able to see them. Using a space telescope the scientists were able to watch light infractions for over a hundred days to find the differences. It is these differences compared to their surroundings that allowed them to notice the planet for the first time. The actual research shows how outliers are factored into the explanation. 

The basic Theory of Relativity postulates that space and time should be seen together.  Objects are relative to each other. As objects are in motion in relation to other objects in motion they are as though they are standing still. Specific Relativity indicates that the law of physics is the same for all non-accelerated observers. The theory moves on to explain how gravitational pulls can bend light and distort trajectories. It is this distortion of light that had led to a new methodology of understanding our solar system.

You may read their full publication at:

BEER analysis of Kepler and CoRoTlight curves: I. Discovery of Kepler-76b: A hot Jupiter with evidence for superrotation

Additional Reading:

Science 20 

PosSci 

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