Johannes Kepler, famed German astronomer and mathematician, first suggested in 1619 that pressure from sunlight could be responsible for a comet’s tail always pointing away from the Sun, says study co-author and UBC Okanagan engineering professor Kenneth Chau. It wasn’t until 1873 that James Clerk Maxwell predicted that this radiation pressure was due to the momentum residing within the electromagnetic fields of light itself.

“Until now, we hadn’t determined how this momentum is converted into force or movement,” says Chau. “Because the amount of momentum carried by light is very small, we haven’t had equipment sensitive enough to solve this.”

Now, technology has caught up and Chau, with his international research team from Slovenia and Brazil, are shedding light on this mystery. (1)

We always admire how science “proves” or “measures” things today. But what is really astounding is how some people came up with a theory or an explanation which is now “proved” (too heavy word, but that is another discussion) correct, without having – back then – the tools to ‘prove’ it or measure anything.

Science moves on in leaps.

Leaps made by giants.

Then the rest of the people just try to catch up.

And slowly try to “prove” things.

When they do, the giants will be another step forward.

Don’t spend too much time proving that there is a cliff.

Just have faith.

You don’t have to pass over the cliff.

You are already on the other side.

Make that leap…

There was a man who once said there is nothing to prove…

Do you really need to prove it in order to believe it?