The Metric Wars: A Spacetime Signature Saga

The Metric Wars: A Spacetime Signature Saga
physics-memes, spacetime-memes, minkowski-memes, relativity-memes, mathematics-memes | ScienceHumor.io

When physicists get passionate about spacetime signatures. The Minkowski metric [+,-,-,-] versus [-,+,+,+] debate is the theoretical physics equivalent of tabs vs spaces. Some mathematicians would rather face eternal damnation than use the wrong convention. The signature determines whether time is positive and space is negative, or vice versa—a hill many physicists are prepared to die on. Next week: people who write Maxwell's equations without the constants.

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