RJ, what does your cosmology think of this:

Originally posted by lemon lime
I stopped reading about all the new theories that keep showing up a few years ago, but I do remember reading about that one. Gravity leaking into other dimensions or something like that.

IMO the problem of why the force of gravity is so much weaker than magnetism or electro-magnetism isn't a problem at all. Similarities between these forces doesn't me er disproven, then you can expect to see many physicists jumping from second story windows.

Doesn't look like they are going to jump out of any windows soon, since the latest results just add to the certainty of the existence of the Higgs. Now they think there might even be several versions of the Higgs.

About gravity, for sure they are trying to suss out exactly what gravity is but the throwing theories on the table is not a bad thing. Suppose they disprove the idea that the relative strength of gravity is due to dilution among dimensions. That alone would send physicists down many other paths, one of which could lead to the truth about gravity, and maybe other phenomena as well, sometimes serendipity provides answers to unexpected questions as the result of work in direction X but instead uncovers a road leading to Y and now they find a cure for cancer or global warming.
Just saying the roads to scientific knowledge is convoluted and any work has validity in some way or another.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Doesn't look like they are going to jump out of any windows soon...

That still cracks me up... jumping from second story windows. Even at my age I think I could do that without seriously hurting myself. I mean sure, those physicists might be upset about it, but not upset enough to kill themselves. They get paid for their work so it wouldn't be a complete loss.

Originally posted by lemon lime
That still cracks me up... jumping from second story windows. Even at my age I think I could do that without seriously hurting myself. I mean sure, those physicists might be upset about it, but not upset enough to kill themselves. They get paid for their work so it wouldn't be a complete loss.

Anyway, failures in physics, while a blow to the ego if you have been banking on that particular theory you have been touting for decades, just points to new physics and even if the guy jumps out the window others take up the gauntlet and science moves on.