Changes

Einstein revised his work on [[General Relativity]] to include a '[[fudge-factor]]' which he termed the [[Cosmological Constant]]. He was trying to account for the apparent steady-state nature of the universe.

Einstein revised his work on [[General Relativity]] to include a '[[fudge-factor]]' which he termed the [[Cosmological Constant]]. He was trying to account for the apparent steady-state nature of the universe.

[[Edwin Hubble]], of whom [[NASA]]'s famous [[Hubble Space Telescope]] is named in honor, later convinced him otherwise.  At one point he had Einstein actually making direct [[observation]]s alongside him, and Hubble's [[finding]]s showed conclusively that the [[universe]] was indeed [[expand]]ing, as predicted by certain solutions of GR's field equations in the absence of a cosmological constant.  Einstein recanted his original [[philosophy]], and accepted as true the notion of a changing universe having a definite [[begin]]ning.

[[Edwin Hubble]], in whose name [[NASA]]'s famous [[Hubble Space Telescope]] is named, later convinced him otherwise.  At one point he had Einstein actually making direct [[observation]]s alongside him, and Hubble's [[finding]]s showed conclusively that the [[universe]] was indeed [[expand]]ing, as predicted by certain solutions of GR's field equations in the absence of a cosmological constant.  Einstein recanted his original [[philosophy]], and accepted as true the notion of a changing universe having a definite [[begin]]ning.

He later said of his Cosmological Constant, "It was the biggest blunder of my life."

He later said of his Cosmological Constant, "It was the biggest blunder of my life."

An interesting end-note on this term: Principle investigators from [[Princeton]] [[University]] first published findings in 1998 apparently revealing an [[accelerating]] expansion for the universe<ref>http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/m_mm.html</ref>. Because this initially seemed like it might be a sort of 'anti-gravity' effect (similar in concept to Einstein's original notion), it briefly became quite popular for scientists to dub the [[phenomenon]] the 'Cosmological Constant' as well.  For more information, see: [[Dark Energy]].

An interesting end-note on this term: Principle investigators from [[Princeton]] [[University]] first published findings in 1998 apparently revealing an [[accelerating]] expansion for the universe<ref>http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/m_mm.html</ref>. Because this initially seemed like it might be a sort of 'anti-gravity' effect (similar in concept to Einstein's original notion), it briefly became quite popular for scientists to dub the [[phenomenon]] the 'Cosmological Constant' as well.  For more information, see: [[Dark Energy]].

==Controversy Surrounding His Death==

==Controversy Surrounding His Death==