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PBS Space Time

Is Gravity An Illusion?

Season 1 Episode 17 | 10m 17s

Most of us take gravity as an assumed part of our living realities, but why? Basic physics introduces us to the concept of gravity from a Newtonian sense, but when you start factoring Einstein into an understanding of gravity, things get… weird. For example, gravity may simply not exist. Why? Watch this week’s episode of PBS Space Time and find out why gravity may be an illusion!

Aired: 06/02/15
Extras
Watch • 14:42
PBS Space Time
Something Disturbing Happens When You Solve Einstein's Equations This Way
Gödel found a time-travel solution in General Relativity, revealing spacetime can loop on itself.
Episode: S11 E25 | 14:42
Watch • 18:46
PBS Space Time
Martian Soil Is Deadly. And That's Why It Might Support Life
Tardigrades can survive almost anything—even most of Mars. But one Martian chemical stops even them.
Episode: S11 E24 | 18:46
Watch • 18:18
PBS Space Time
Is the LHC Creating Dark Matter?
The Higgs boson may open a portal to hidden particles that could explain dark matter.
Episode: S11 E23 | 18:18
Watch • 19:02
PBS Space Time
Dark Energy Is Driving the Universe Apart. We May Finally Know Why.
The universe expands faster. “Dark energy” may not be constant after all.
Episode: S11 E22 | 19:02
Watch • 16:26
PBS Space Time
Our Only Chance To Finally Unlock The Gravity Particle
There’s a new generation of experiments that may unlock the gravity particle.
Episode: S11 E21 | 16:26
Watch • 18:33
PBS Space Time
The Particle We’ve Been Chasing for 30 Years Might Not Exist
The universe thrums with quantum fields, except something may be missing: the sterile neutrino.
Episode: S11 E20 | 18:33
Watch • 18:42
PBS Space Time
The Universe Itself Might Be Hiding the Gravity Particle From Us
Gravitons, the particle of quantum gravity, may be impossible to detect.
Episode: S11 E19 | 18:42
Watch • 1:38:18
PBS Space Time
Black Holes. Explained. For 1.5 Hours.
We go in depth on black holes: the strangest objects in the universe!
Special: 1:38:18
Watch • 25:02
PBS Space Time
Heisenberg Made a Discovery in 1925. We Still Can't Explain It
2025 was the international year of quantum science, but today we examine its origins.
Episode: S11 E18 | 25:02
Watch • 21:17
PBS Space Time
Do We Live in the Rarest Solar System In The Universe? We're about to find out!
We’ve found lots of “habitable” worlds but we don’t know what factors are needed for life.
Episode: S11 E17 | 21:17
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • PBS Space Time Season 11
  • PBS Space Time Season 10
  • PBS Space Time Season 9
  • PBS Space Time Season 8
  • PBS Space Time Season 7
  • PBS Space Time Season 6
  • PBS Space Time Season 5
  • PBS Space Time Season 4
  • PBS Space Time Season 3
  • PBS Space Time Season 2
  • PBS Space Time Season 1
Watch • 14:42
PBS Space Time
Something Disturbing Happens When You Solve Einstein's Equations This Way
Gödel found a time-travel solution in General Relativity, revealing spacetime can loop on itself.
Episode: S11 E25 | 14:42
Watch • 18:46
PBS Space Time
Martian Soil Is Deadly. And That's Why It Might Support Life
Tardigrades can survive almost anything—even most of Mars. But one Martian chemical stops even them.
Episode: S11 E24 | 18:46
Watch • 18:18
PBS Space Time
Is the LHC Creating Dark Matter?
The Higgs boson may open a portal to hidden particles that could explain dark matter.
Episode: S11 E23 | 18:18
Watch • 19:02
PBS Space Time
Dark Energy Is Driving the Universe Apart. We May Finally Know Why.
The universe expands faster. “Dark energy” may not be constant after all.
Episode: S11 E22 | 19:02
Watch • 16:26
PBS Space Time
Our Only Chance To Finally Unlock The Gravity Particle
There’s a new generation of experiments that may unlock the gravity particle.
Episode: S11 E21 | 16:26
Watch • 18:33
PBS Space Time
The Particle We’ve Been Chasing for 30 Years Might Not Exist
The universe thrums with quantum fields, except something may be missing: the sterile neutrino.
Episode: S11 E20 | 18:33
Watch • 18:42
PBS Space Time
The Universe Itself Might Be Hiding the Gravity Particle From Us
Gravitons, the particle of quantum gravity, may be impossible to detect.
Episode: S11 E19 | 18:42
Watch • 25:02
PBS Space Time
Heisenberg Made a Discovery in 1925. We Still Can't Explain It
2025 was the international year of quantum science, but today we examine its origins.
Episode: S11 E18 | 25:02
Watch • 21:17
PBS Space Time
Do We Live in the Rarest Solar System In The Universe? We're about to find out!
We’ve found lots of “habitable” worlds but we don’t know what factors are needed for life.
Episode: S11 E17 | 21:17
Watch • 21:31
PBS Space Time
The Gravity Particle Should Exist. So Where Is It?
What is the graviton, and does it even exist?
Episode: S11 E16 | 21:31