Re: Gravitational time dilation HOAX along the years

On 12/21/2024 4:01 AM, J. J. Lodder wrote:

Ross Finlayson <ross.a.finlayson@gmail.com> wrote:
 

It used to be said "at one point only three people
in the world understood Relativity Theory, ...."
>
Now, one of them's usually assumed to be Einstein.

 Don't be silly, it was a joke. In full, something like:
 Journalist: Professor Eddington, is it true that there are only three
people in the world who understand relativity?
Eddington: Hesitates, does'n answer.
Journalist: Why are you hesitating?
Eddington: Not hesitating, I was just thinking who might be the third.
 Jan

No, it was a little more involved. There were no "journalist". It was another physicist who in a scientific gathering where Eddington was present had claimed only three persons in the world understood relativity (in his mind implying himself and Einstein and Eddington), and then tells Eddington he should know who the third one is. When Eddington did not answer, he told Eddington, "Don't be shy, tell us who the third one is."
To which, Eddington had responded, "Oh, no, I was just wondering who the third one might be," thus kicking the other physicist out of the supposed "three".
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