Will technology and further observation of the universe allow all physics theories to one day be testable or are some forever out of reach. The tests can be to either prove or disprove the theories. I was thinking of theories relating to black holes perhaps being ones that will be very hard to prove with actual technology because of the extreme environment.
I’m going to say “probably not”. No matter what level of knowledge you get to, there are always new questions, and theories related to those questions.
I’m with deeeeevs on this one…
However, I think that increasing technological advancement will mean that we will be able to test our predictions with greater levels of accuracy and precision.
which is a good thing
Cymek said:
Will technology and further observation of the universe allow all physics theories to one day be testable or are some forever out of reach. The tests can be to either prove or disprove the theories. I was thinking of theories relating to black holes perhaps being ones that will be very hard to prove with actual technology because of the extreme environment.
There was a pretty reasonable TED talk on this recently. I had a quick look but couldn’t find it sorry.
I looked a little harder …
https://www.ted.com/talks/harry_cliff_have_we_reached_the_end_of_physics
Cymek said:
Will technology and further observation of the universe allow all physics theories to one day be testable or are some forever out of reach. The tests can be to either prove or disprove the theories. I was thinking of theories relating to black holes perhaps being ones that will be very hard to prove with actual technology because of the extreme environment.
As you mention black holes, let’s see how such could be tested or otherwise rejected.
1) Black hole horizon exists. Test by examining light that has been deflected enormous angles, in extreme case by observing photons in orbit around the black hole.
2) Large black holes evaporate. This is much more difficult than for small black holes for which the radiation can be measured. Could be tested by mass loss changing orbits of objects in orbit around the black hole. Another option is to find a quite different type of object that obeys the same mathematical equations – an event horizon is mathematically equivalent to other types of shocks with a transition from possible to impossible. A third option, the most sensible one, is to measure the energy extracted from a rotating black hole by a splitting incoming mass, the amount of energy that can be extracted depends not only on the rotation but also on whether the black hole is capable of self-radiation.
3) I’ve described many ways to test string theory and by extension quantum loop gravity in other posts. String theory has never been “not even wrong”, that piece of famous hubris was never correct. Any description of physics has consequences that extend far beyond a specific prediction eg. GR has more consequences than just black holes.
4) Self-consistency can be a remarkably useful tool for testing mathematical theories of physics. Inconsistent theories predict tachyons and ghosts.