Our understanding of the universe, based largely on Einstein’s theory of general relativity, relies on four fundamental forces: Gravity, electromagnetic, and the strong and weak nuclear forces.
These forces stop planets, molecules and even atoms from tearing themselves apart and are the building blocks for the physical rules of the cosmos.
But in recent decades, whispers of a fifth force of nature have surfaced, and if it exists, it could overthrow everything we know about how the universe works.
Now, researchers have discovered the ultimate way to test whether this fifth force is real, and it involves tracking the stars at the centre of our galaxy.
The four forces of nature hold the standard model of physics together, which is what we use to describe the behaviour of particles and matter.
The smaller forces of the four are strong and weak nuclear forces.
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While the strong nuclear force holds atomic nuclei together, the weak nuclear force allows the radioactive decay of certain atoms.
At the large-scale end of the four forces sit gravity and electromagnetic forces.
The electromagnetic force binds molecules together, while gravity stops entire planets and galaxies from being torn apart.
But the problem with these four fundamental forces is that, since Einstein’s crowning theory surfaced, several holes have been poked in the way we understand gravity.
Gravity is the last of the four forces that humans are yet to figure out how to create and control.
The force doesn’t explain everything that it supposedly controls – studies of our universe have shown that there is more gravity in our universe than can be produced by all of its visible matter.
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