Physicists have just dropped a new precise measurement for gravity.
The newly published value for the strength of gravity, known as “G” or “Big G”, is significantly smaller than some previous measurements, researchers report in the April Metrologia. The disagreement reflects a long-running trend, and could mean there are hidden factors affecting these types of gravity experiments.
Since Isaac Newton published his theory of gravity in the 17th century, researchers have been trying to measure the strength of gravity. But as the weakest of nature’s four fundamental forces, it’s the hardest to measure precisely. A dozen precision experiments in the past 50 years have found a spread of values.