A visualisation of galaxies floating on the curved spacetime sea. Cosmological researchers are developing a model of the universe using Einstein’s full general theory of relativity equations to create the most precise and detailed representation of the cosmos ever
Credit: James Mertens

Research teams in Europe and the USA – including a cosmologist from the University of Portsmouth – have begun modelling the universe for the first time using Einstein’s full general theory of relativity.

The teams have independently created two new computer codes they say will lead to the most accurate possible models of the universe and provide new insights into gravity and its effects.

One hundred years since it was developed, Einstein’s theory remains the best theory of gravity, consistently passing high-precision tests in the solar system and successfully predicting phenomena […]