Detecting Gravitational Waves: Earth-Like Planet Possibility

[Ibix]

Is it falsifiable without invoking physics-defying materials?

I don't think it's all that outrageously physics-defying. In Newtonian physics, all we need to do is say that $F=kGMm/r^2$, where $k=1$ for normal matter and $k=2$ for this hypothetical matter. That $k$ is always 1 is merely something we happen to have observed - there's no other reason for it.

Relativity insists that there is a reason, that matter follows geodesics. This means that the coordinate acceleration of a free-falling body cannot depend on its mass, only on its position - i.e. the equivalence principle. So observing masses accelerating at different rates would falsify the equivalence principle.

 

[Dale]

Not sure this helps the OP.

Is it falsifiable without invoking physics-defying materials?

@Ibix is correct. Since our universe follows the equivalence principle of course a violation will be “physics defying”. But the point is that you can take any pair of materials and perform the experiment. If you ever find one that behaves as @Ibix described then the principle is falsified. Until we did similar experiments it was not a forgone conclusion.

 

[berkeman]

Thread closed temporarily for Moderation...

 

[Dale]

Since the OP is on vacation, this thread will remain closed. In short, gravitational waves are a prediction of GR so obviously they do not falsify GR nor any of the basic GR principles.