Page 17 - The Miracle in the Atom

The Formation Adventure Of The Atom

he had scarcely dared hope for. Hubble had observed that the light from
galaxies was red shifted, and, according to Doppler effect, this had to
mean the universe was expanding. Now it was only a matter of time.
Einstein was interested in Hubble's work anyway and resolved to visit
him at the Mount Wilson Observatory. Lemaître arranged to give a lec-
ture at the California Institute of Technology at the same time, and ma-
naged to corner Einstein and Hubble together. He argued his "primeval
atom" theory carefully, step by step, suggesting that the whole universe
had been created "on a day which had no yesterday." Painstakingly he
worked through all the mathematics. When he had finished he could
not believe his ears. Einstein stood up and announced that what he had
just heard was "the most beautiful and satisfying interpretation I have
listened to" and went on to confess that creating the "cosmological cons-
tant" was "the biggest blunder" of his life. 1
The truth that made Einstein, who is considered one of the most im-
portant scientists in history, jump to his feet was the fact that the universe
has a beginning.

Albert Einstein, during a
visit to the Wilson
Observatory, where
Edwin Hubble made his
observations.

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