12-Year-Old Genius Expands Theory of Relativity

[obeygiant]

Could Einstein's Theory of Relativity be a few mathematical equations away from being disproved? Jacob Barnett of Hamilton County, Ind., who is just weeks shy of his 13th birthday, thinks so. And, he's got the solutions to prove it.

Barnett, who has an IQ of 170, explained his expanded theory of relativity - in a YouTube video. His mother Kristine Barnett, who admittedly flunked math, did what every other mother would do if her genius son started talking mathematical gibberish. She told him to write out the whole thing out on their living room window while she taped her son explaining his theory.

While most of his mathematical genius goes over our heads, some professors at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey - you know, the U.S. academic homeroom for the likes of Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Kurt GÖdel - have confirmed he's on the right track to coming up with something completely new. For now, they're encouraging Barnett to continue doing what he likes to do, which is explaining calculus using a whiteboard marker and his living room windows

"I'm impressed by his interest in physics and the amount that he has learned so far," Institute for Advanced Study Professor Scott Tremaine wrote in an email to the family. "The theory that he's working on involves several of the toughest problems in astrophysics and theoretical physics."

"Anyone who solves these will be in line for a Nobel Prize," he added.

Barnett's parents knew that there was something different with their son when he didn't speak until the age of two. He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, so they thought he might have problems in school. Instead, they were astounded when he started solving 5,000 piece puzzles by the age of 3. The 12-year-old taught himself calculus, algebra and geometry in two weeks, and can solve up to 200 numbers of Pi. He left high school at the ripe old age of eight and has been attending college-level advanced astrophysics classes ever since.

Right now, Barnett is being recruited by Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis for a paid research position. We figure he'll find a way to pencil that in between dating his girlfriend and playing Halo: Reach, one of his favorite video games. Yes, he can play classical music by memory on the piano, but he also enjoys watching shows on the Disney Channel and sci-fi movies. In many ways, he's your typical 12-year-old boy.

Einstein was 26 when he first published his Theory of Relativity. We figure that Jake has a couple of years to kick back and relax before he finally debunks the big bang theory.
"I'm still working on that," he said. "I have an idea, but... I'm still working out the details."

yahoo

Can't wait to see what he comes up with.

Some video. Different take on multiplication

[cantthinkofone]

I watched some videos on this kid a few weeks ago. I had absolutely no idea what I was watching . I am not savvy with math much less what that kid was talking about. I to am excited to see what this kid can do. I hope nobody rushes him and he goes at his own pace.

[iJohnHenry]

Can this be the real-life Zefram Cochrane??

[JoshBoy]

maybe he can help out and make sure ios5 works well and doesn't cripple earlier model iphones and ipads?

[Skika]

Originally Posted by JoshBoy

maybe he can help out and make sure ios5 works well and doesn't cripple earlier model iphones and ipads?

Dude wat

[Capt Underpants]

I have no way to judge what he is saying.

But if he's onto something, then more power to him.

[velocityg4]

Originally Posted by JoshBoy

maybe he can help out and make sure ios5 works well and doesn't cripple earlier model iphones and ipads?

I think the creation of new theories advancing mankind's understanding of the universe and the applications of those theories used towards the advancement of science and technology. Outweighs some features on a nifty gadget that will be forgotten about in a year or two. When a faster device with even more bells and whistles is released.

[Capt Underpants]

Originally Posted by velocityg4

I think the creation of new theories advancing mankind's understanding of the universe and the applications of those theories used towards the advancement of science and technology. Outweighs some features on a nifty gadget that will be forgotten about in a year or two. When a faster device with even more bells and whistles is released.

Truth.

Any MR theoretical physicists want to chime in with their opinion of the kid?

[Mousse]

Originally Posted by Capt Underpants

Truth.

Any MR theoretical physicists want to chime in with their opinion of the kid?

I'm not a theoretical physicist nor do I play one on TV. But like the saying goes, "In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not." Unless we can some how confirm or disprove these hypothesis...

[MacBoobsPro]

Can he sort out the daylight savings bug on iOS' clock?

[(marc)]

Originally Posted by velocityg4

I think the creation of new theories advancing mankind's understanding of the universe and the applications of those theories used towards the advancement of science and technology. Outweighs some features on a nifty gadget that will be forgotten about in a year or two. When a faster device with even more bells and whistles is released.

The theory of relativity actually has appliance on "nifty gadgets", since it is an essential part of GPS

[Abstract]

Gotta love a guy who's so smart, nobody can prove him wrong yet.

[Joshuarocks]

Maybe he can prove that TIME TRAVEL can indeed be a reality.. I sure hope so, as I would love to go back to the 1980s and remain there FOREVER.

[leomac08]

He should play professional baseball.... with his math skills he should be unstoppable....


or go to Las Vegas and count cards..

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by leomac08

or go to Las Vegas and count cards..

Correct with the wink, they bounce card counters as soon as they are spotted.

"They" say it's unfair to the other punters, but Vegas was not built on losses.

[leomac08]

Originally Posted by iJohnHenry

Correct with the wink, they bounce card counters as soon as they are spotted.

"They" say it's unfair to the other punters, but Vegas was not built on losses.

The house always wins, one way or another... unless you are that lucky person in a one in a million draw..

the movie 21 and Oceans Eleven come to mind...

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by leomac08

The house always wins, one way or another...

Ask to be the dealer in Blackjack, and make the other players declare first.

See how far you get.

[Tomacorno]

The title of this thread is reasonable. The first sentence of the story, "Could Einstein's Theory of Relativity be a few mathematical equations away from being disproved?" is a bit nonsensical.

Unless, he disproves relativity by proving that my gps actually takes me to alternative universe destinations rather than where I think I am going. Because if he proves that my gps does not work then I need to have my arrival at my "destinations" explained.

Let us return to the "Economic Argument."

http://xkcd.com/808/

[JoeG4]

Whoa a smart kid that didn't have a tiger mom O_O where's that dude that brags about azn awesomeness when you need him XD

[Joshuarocks]

Oh, I forgot.. Time Travel has already been proven.. Look up Steven Gibbs.

[Dr Kevorkian94]

There is no way that einstines theory of relativity can be disproven, more likely to be expanded. I am no genius but, unless there is some way that he figures out that gravity isnt relative to mass and that there really is 2 opposite pulsing universes composed of matter and antimatter lol then I don't see it happening. He cold probably get the flux capacitor to work first. But seriously he kid is amazing, it's amazing how little the brain the current man uses. I can't wait to see what humanity is capable of. With children like this we will defiantly go far. I can hardly play the piano, I can't even read music, but this child is amazing.

[danielcox]

I watched the video and while there's no doubt he is smart (probably) the quantum mechanics section was really just basic definitions of quantum numbers and the wavefunction.

The part about relativity is just nonsensical, there's nothing in his equations that suggests density is related to the speed of light (although the speed of sound is inversely related to the density of the medium - it seems like he would be in favour of an aether theorem), the speed of light is very well defined and tested and there is absolutely no evidence for tachyons (I don't know of any theoretical background to support tachyons either).

I hope he keeps it up.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Dr Kevorkian94

There is no way that einstines theory of relativity can be disproven

That is completely inaccurate, there are plenty of ways the theory can be disproven - if that were not so then it would not be a scientific theory. Protip, everything in science can be disproven.

[EagerBatucada]

Originally Posted by Capt Underpants

Truth.

Any MR theoretical physicists want to chime in with their opinion of the kid?

I'm a PhD student of applied math and while watching him do calculus 2 is impressive (I wish I was at that age) the truth is that this work is trivial for most scientists and engineers. Nearly every day in my past six years has involved mathematics, and I'll tell you. . things get far far more complicated. My guess is that he is no where NEAR making additions to relativity.

[Mousse]

Originally Posted by danielcox

Protip, everything in science can be disproven.

Yes. Spoken like a true scientist. We had a saying back when I was studying: "Although I'm not always right, I'm never, ever wrong." Science only confirms or disproves. Once something has been proven wrong, science throws it out. As long as it hasn't been proven false, we accept it as true.

[secondhandloser]

Originally Posted by EagerBatucada

I'm a PhD student of applied math and while watching him do calculus 2 is impressive (I wish I was at that age) the truth is that this work is trivial for most scientists and engineers. Nearly every day in my past six years has involved mathematics, and I'll tell you. . things get far far more complicated. My guess is that he is no where NEAR making additions to relativity.

Yeah, pretty much this. He's an absolute boss for his age, but I think it'll be a while before we're hearing anything new from him, if we do.