Researchers have achieved the most precise measurement to date of the Lense-Thirring effect, confirming Einstein's prediction of frame dragging with an uncertainty of just 0.2%. This breakthrough was made possible by the LARES-2 satellite, a dense, passive sphere designed to minimize non-gravitational forces.
Background
The Lense-Thirring effect, or frame dragging, describes how a rotating massive body twists the surrounding spacetime, a key prediction of General Relativity. Previous measurements were limited by noise from atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure on satellites.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Jul 11, 2026 at 12:11 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10