Holden D’Avico
Mr. Ippolito
AP Bio/Current Event #6
11/9/20
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.” Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
For my current review, I chose to analyze “The first black hole image helped test general relativity in a new way,” an article about the theory of relativity and how it relates to our current understanding of black holes and the universe. The author starts by providing a loose description of the theory of relativity and then writes about how Einstein's theory confirms the size of the most recent black hole that was pictured in a distant galaxy. However, the author then introduces a very difficult question: she says, “how much can I tweak general relativity, and still be consistent with the [black hole] measurement,” (Grossman). She introduces this question to help the reader understand that there could be a different theory that is just as good, if not better at describing our universe than Einstein's theory of relativity. The rest of the article describes the findings of a group called the “Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration.” The groups conducted a second order test of general relativity in order to rule out other theories of our universe. The group’s findings confirmed Einstein’s predictions and theory. The author then goes on to explain the importance of the second order test as she says, “general relativity has passed every time. But it takes a strong gravitational field, like the one around M87’s black hole, to kick the tests up a notch,” (Grossman). A first order test can be used in our solar system, however, due to the weak gravitational field, in order to perform a second order test, research has to be conducted on a system with a much stronger gravitational field. The second order tests allow scientists to be more confident in their findings based on the theory of relativity. Lastly, the author describes how scientists are constantly trying to find ways to disprove Einstein's theory but it seems as if the theory is full-proof. Einstein’s theory failing would be a huge advancement because it would allow for the confirmation of a new theory or understanding of our universe completely different from our understanding of the universe right now.
I chose this article because the topic of understanding our universe is very intriguing and also very important. Our understanding of everyday objects and relationships are all based on our own experiences. What I mean by this is that it is impossible to comprehend or imagine something that lies outside of our world: everything we know and understand is either something we have already experienced or seen. For example, it is impossible to imagine a color that hasn’t been discovered yet. This is why blackholes, the universe, and the theory of general relativity is so important. If the theory of relativity is confirmed by researchers such as the ones presented in this article, our understanding of the universe will be confirmed. However, if further research disproves Einstein’s theory, then our understanding of the universe has to be completely altered. The implications of the topics described in this article are of extreme importance because they may change the world and our understanding of it as we know it.
The article I read by Lisa Grossman was very well written. I appreciated the flow and organization of the article as it allowed me to easily follow a very complex topic. The author introduced the theory of relativity, then proceeded to describe its relation to the new photo that was taken of a massive blackhole, and lastly described its importance in comprehending our universe. A suggestion I have for the author is to elaborate more on first-order and second-order tests. The author could have described these complex tests more in depth so the reader could better recognize their significance in proving the theory of relativity. Another suggestion I have for the author is to conclude the article by describing the next step in proving Einstein’s theory. The article abruptly ended with little description of the plan going forward so it would’ve been much more interesting if the author explained what the next step was for the research groups in order to either prove or disprove the theory using blackholes and other objects in the cosmos.
Julia Reich
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Biology C Even
11/9/20
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.”
Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
Hyperlink to blog
https://bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/2020/
Holden’s review of, “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way” was very fascinating and captivating. One aspect he achieved well throughout his article was a consistent flow of thoughts. Though he was describing a relatively complicated topic, his summary of the theories of relativity and gravity were extremely well written. As most readers are not experts on the subject, he was able to maintain simplistic language and ideas. Secondly, Holden includes numerous quotes from the scientist and author, Lisa Grossman. These aid the reader in understanding Grossman’s perspective on the subject. For example, he includes “how much can I [Grossman] tweak general relativity, and still be consistent with the [black hole] measurement.” The third aspect well done was including real life scenarios within the review. For example, Holden included the fact that it is literally impossible for humans to comprehend or imagine something that lies outside of our world. This idea in itself is hard to comprehend and is quite fascinating. Overall, his review was essentially flawless and enjoyable to read.
One way in which Holden could improve his review is by defining more scientific and complex terms. For example, Einstein’s theory of relativity goes undefine throughout the review, leading the average reader to be confused. He could easily fix this by defining the term in parenthesis. The second aspect he could improve is including more personal statements. For example, if Einstein's theory fails and scientists are able to create a newer theory, how would we change our understanding of the universe? Though this is a question even scientists do not know the right answer to, including a personal statement would greatly strengthen Holden’s argument.
I chose Holden’s article because the title of the article stood out to me. Einstein is famous for being one of the most intelligent scientists and mathematicians and the idea that one of his theories could be disproved is shocking. As well, the fact that we cannot think of anything outside our knowledge and universe is simply crazy. All of life’s activities occur due to forces of nature and the physical connection between space and matter.
Kelly Baclija
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Bio
November 9, 2020
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.” Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
D'Avico, Holden. The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way, 1 Jan. 1970, bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-first-black-hole-image-helped-test.html.
Holden’s review of The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way by Lisa Grossman is incredibly well-written. To begin, he includes many quotes from the original article to help enrich his own and also make it more credible; for example, he includes a question posed by Grossman, “How much can I tweak general relativity, and still be consistent with the [black hole] measurement?”. Holden also provides a different perspective about the topic by stating how “Einstein’s theory failing would be a huge advancement because it would allow for the confirmation of a new theory or understanding of our universe completely different from our understanding of the universe right now”-- this greatly helps guide the audience’s comprehension of the ideas Holden presents. Finally, I believe that his relevance paragraph features a very deep understanding and provides another perspective for the audience and prompts them to think further about our universe; he states “What I mean by this is that it is impossible to comprehend or imagine something that lies outside of our world: everything we know and understand is either something we have already experienced or seen”.
Holden’s article has many well-done aspects, however, there are a few areas of improvement he can work on. For example, he could give a bit more background information on the topic-- he states that “the author starts by providing a loose description of the theory of relativity” although he does not explain what it is himself, and because of this, the audience could become confused and lose understanding of the article. Furthermore, he also says in the article that “there could be a different theory that is just as good, if not better at describing our universe than Einstein’s theory of relativity”; I believe that the audience could have benefited if he explained and went in-depth on any other possible theories apart from Einstein’s by gaining a deeper understanding on the topic.
I chose this article because the title grasped my attention since it was something that I have not given much thought to prior, and I want to increase my knowledge of it. As a result, I learned how there is a possibility for Einstein’s theory to be disproved (though it is unlikely) and then would greatly advance our understanding of science right now. This article has changed my perception because it shows how what we think we know about our world and the universe can be turned around by a simple discovery.
Victoria Ruffo
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Bio
11/8/20
Citation:
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.” Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
Article Link:
www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
Blog Link:
https://bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/
For this week’s current event, I chose Holden's review. Overall, Holden’s review was very informative. One strength in Holden’s review was his initial summary of the article. In the beginning he states, “The author starts by providing a loose description of the theory of relativity and then writes about how Einstein's theory confirms the size of the most recent black hole that was pictured in a distant galaxy,” (review). Providing this summary right off the bat gives the reader a sense of what the article is about. Additionally, it is great segway for further explanation as Holden then elaborates more on these topics later in the paragraph. Another strength in Holden’s review was his use of quotes from the article. He writes, “However, the author then introduces a very difficult question: she says, ‘how much can I tweak general relativity, and still be consistent with the [black hole] measurement,’” (review). Directly quoting the article shows that Holden is a credible reviewer. These quotes also allow the reader to gain a better understanding of the article and what the author is trying to communicate. Holden’s last strength is his descriptiveness in the strengths segment of this review. When describing what the author did well he explains, “I appreciated the flow and organization of the article as it allowed me to easily follow a very complex topic. The author introduced the theory of relativity, then proceeded to describe its relation to the new photo that was taken of a massive blackhole, and lastly described its importance in comprehending our universe,” (review). Holden breaks down what the author did well step by step which makes it easy for the reader to follow. It also shows that Holden truly absorbed the article and is well informed on the material.
Although Holden’s review was strong, there are still some areas where he could improve. Firstly, I wish Holden defined key terms in his review. For example, he says, “The author starts by providing a loose description of the theory of relativity…” but never actually explains what the term “theory of relativity” means. To fix this, Holden could simply place a comma next to the term and provide a definition. This would help the reader develop an even deeper understanding of the topic. Secondly, I wish Holden inserted his own opinions into the review, specifically in his relevance paragraph. Throughout the review, Holden remains very nuanced and doesn’t really express his opinions about these findings. For instance he states, “However, if further research disproves Einstein’s theory, then our understanding of the universe has to be completely altered,” (review). To improve this, Holden could explain how this research would change his own opinions. This would be a really interesting element to add to his review.
One part of this article that particularly intrigued me was that fact that a theory that was hypothesized years and years ago is still relevant today. It is incredible how Einstein and his theories still hold value in our modern society. This article just proves how important Einstein was in the scientific community. If Einstein’s theory is officially confirmed it would be a huge step for us in understanding our universe. The universe is such a complex thing. It is crazy that Einstein’s theory of relativity could be a correct explanation of the universe. I chose to review this article because I am captivated by the unknown and would love to learn more about things like black holes and what takes place outside planet Earth.
Ava Black
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Bio
11/8/20
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.”
Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
D'Avico, Holden. The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way, 1 Jan. 1970, bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-first-black-hole-image-helped-test.html.
Holden’s review of “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way” was very well written and informational. Holden did a good job of organizing his thoughts and explaining the flow of the article. Although this topic can be difficult to understand, he was able to describe the event in a way that would make sense to an uninformed reader. I thought Holden did a great job of explaining the significance of doing a second order test as well as the difficulties that arise when researchers need to perform one. I particularly enjoyed reading Holden’s second paragraph where he discusses the importance of this article. I found his statement that people’s understanding of objects are only based on individual experiences very relevant and thought provoking. I then liked how he provided an example of how humans cannot imagine a different color. This allowed for me to better relate this difficult topic of black holes to my own experiences. I was able to better understand how important and revolutionary it would be if scientists were able to disprove Einstein’s theory.
One way that I think Holden could improve his article would be to explain certain complicated terms, such as Einstein’s theory of relativity. Since this topic is so complicated, it would have been helpful to be given more background information so that a reader could better understand his review. Additionally, I would have had a better understanding of the topic if I knew more about the specifics regarding second order tests.
Holden’s review taught me more about the research behind the discovery of black holes. I learned that Einstein’s theory is constantly being challenged, however, there it has not been disproven (yet). I also learned that there are first and second order tests that are done in order for scientists to be more confident in their findings. I was really interested to learn that if Einstein’s theory is disproved, there would be tremendous advancements in the study of black holes and the universe.
Ava Black
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
AP Bio
11/8/20
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.”
Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
D'Avico, Holden. The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way, 1 Jan. 1970, bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-first-black-hole-image-helped-test.html.
Holden’s review of “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way” was very well written and informational. Holden did a good job of organizing his thoughts and explaining the flow of the article. Although this topic can be difficult to understand, he was able to describe the event in a way that would make sense to an uninformed reader. I thought Holden did a great job of explaining the significance of doing a second order test as well as the difficulties that arise when researchers need to perform one. I particularly enjoyed reading Holden’s second paragraph where he discusses the importance of this article. I found his statement that people’s understanding of objects are only based on individual experiences very relevant and thought provoking. I then liked how he provided an example of how humans cannot imagine a different color. This allowed for me to better relate this difficult topic of black holes to my own experiences. I was able to better understand how important and revolutionary it would be if scientists were able to disprove Einstein’s theory.
One way that I think Holden could improve his article would be to explain certain complicated terms, such as Einstein’s theory of relativity. Since this topic is so complicated, it would have been helpful to be given more background information so that a reader could better understand his review. Additionally, I would have had a better understanding of the topic if I knew more about the specifics regarding second order tests.
Holden’s review taught me more about the research behind the discovery of black holes. I learned that Einstein’s theory is constantly being challenged, however, there it has not been disproven (yet). I also learned that there are first and second order tests that are done in order for scientists to be more confident in their findings. I was really interested to learn that if Einstein’s theory is disproved, there would be tremendous advancements in the study of black holes and the universe.
Conor O’Neil
ReplyDelete11-9
AP Bio
Mr. Ippolito
Grossman, Lisa. “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way.”
Science News, 1 Oct. 2020, www.sciencenews.org/article/event-horizon-telescope-black-hole-image-einstein-general-relativity.
D'Avico, Holden. The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way, 1 Jan. 1970, bronxvilleapbiology.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-first-black-hole-image-helped-test.html.
Holden D’Avico’s review of the article entitled “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way” by Lisa Grossman is very well-written. The first thing that I noticed that Holden did particularly well was his usage of quotations from the original article. For example, he inserted a quote by Lisa Grossman, the author of the article, that introduces a main question of the article; ““how much can I tweak general relativity, and still be consistent with the [black hole] measurement?” The inclusion of quotations both increases the credibility of his review as well as bringing the actual article to the forefront of the reader’s mind. A second thing that Holden does well in his article is really explaining and breaking down the topic at hand. Although the topics of the article, relativity and gravity, are immensely complicated, he makes them fairly graspable to an uninformed reader. Throughout the article, he maintains fairly simple language as well as breaking down the ideas in the article into simple language as well. A third thing that Holden did well in his article was his description of the significance of the tests that the scientists formulated. He wrote “A first order test can be used in our solar system, however...The second order tests allow scientists to be more confident in their findings based on the theory of relativity.” Overall, D’Avico’s article was very interesting, well written and was virtually flawless.
While Holden’s article was excellently written and well thought out, there were a few things which he could have improved. To start with, Holden could do a better job of defining the terms he writes about in his review. For example, he uses terms such as Einstein’s theory of relativity, which is an extraordinarily complex concept, and does not tell the reader what the significance of it is. This would be very easy to fix with just a sentence or two for each complicated term. The second thing that I think Holden could do better in his article is a better description of what the scientists actually did during the first and second order tests at the end of the first paragraph. I think that if he were to add even a brief explanation of what went on during the tests, it would give the reader a better understanding of the concepts in the article as a whole.
I chose Holden’s article because the title of the article, “The First Black Hole Image Helped Test General Relativity in a New Way” stood out to me; astrophysics is a topic that interests me. What I gained from this reading was a better understanding of the field of astrophysics as a whole. Furthermore, what stood out to me was the idea that Einstein, the most famous physicist of all time other than probably Issac Newton, could have flawed theories. It provokes the idea that nothing that we know in science is 100% certain, and that anything can be overturned rather quickly through discovery. Overall, Holden’s article was quite compelling and well written.