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Surfing gravity's waves still tough after decades of trying : Comments
By Mark S. Lawson, published 5/6/2015Ever since Einstein theorised that gravity waves existed, scientists have been trying to detect them. That century long quest may soon be over.
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For example, "the laws of physics and those of the laws of general/special relativity" is a little confusing, since relativity, either in its special form based on Lorentz's transformations or its more general form based on Riemannian geometry is a fundamental aspect of physics.
The discussion of group symmetry is also somewhat void of meaning, since the point of symmetry is that it allows for the postulation of the existence of certain types of particles/behavioural phenomena based on what has already been observed and the assumption that symmetry is to be preserved. You are somewhat on the right track, in that if string theory is shown to have validity, then it implies the existence of a new class of symmetry, the so-called "supersymmetry", which may have some potential for unifying QM and GR.
The Planck length is not the same as Planck time, although there is a correlation in that the Planck length represents the minimum theoretical length at which it is possible, using Heisenberg's model, to define a particle in classical terms. Below that length, at the speed of light in a vacuum, indeterminacy is the rule. Of course, Heisenberg wasn't quite right, as has been shown by the use of so-called "weak" measurements, but it'll do.
Quantum electrodynamics (QED) and quantum chronodynamics(QCD) are not "complete", they are both approaches to understanding the behaviour of quantum systems and both of them manage to unify 3 of the 4 fundamental forces. Quantum gravity is still elusive.
The Higgs business has not "unified" anything, it has merely confirmed the predicted existence of a particle at approximately the energy predicted for the Higgs. That is exciting, because it opens the possibility that there is something else going on that causes the energy to disagree with theory.
Now, about that link...