The Problem That Killed Determinism in Physics

Описание: The three-body problem is one of the most famous unsolved problems in physics and mathematics. Take three objects in space - the Sun, Earth, and Moon - and try to predict exactly where they'll be in one million years using Newton's laws of gravity. It seems simple, but this physics problem has remained unsolved for over 300 years. In 1887, mathematician Henri Poincaré proved there is no general mathematical solution to the three-body problem, giving birth to chaos theory and revealing that deterministic systems can be fundamentally unpredictable.

Research and concepts discussed:
Henri Poincaré's 1887 proof that no general solution exists
The difference between integrable and non-integrable systems
Chaos theory and sensitive dependence on initial conditions
Joseph-Louis Lagrange's discovery of stable orbital points (1772)
Pluto's chaotic orbit beyond 10-20 million years
The figure-8 periodic orbit solution (Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović, 2013)
NASA trajectory planning and continuous course corrections
Lagrange points and the James Webb Space Telescope's position
How multi-body gravitational interactions affect Earth's climate cycles

This isn't just theoretical physics - the three-body problem affects real spacecraft navigation, our understanding of solar system stability, and even Earth's long-term climate patterns. Despite perfect knowledge of gravity and powerful computers, some problems remain fundamentally unsolvable.

Music from Epidemic Sound