THOUSANDS of British computer-users will join the search for one of the most mysterious forces in the Universe next year, as part of celebrations for the centenary of Albert Einstein’s greatest discoveries.

The Einstein@home project will tap into the spare capacity of home and office computers to analyse data that could confirm the existence of gravitational waves that Einstein predicted in his general theory of relativity, but which have never been detected.

By downloading a simple screensaver featuring the most famous face in physics, computer-users can link to a global network that will sift raw results from two observatories hunting for the elusive waves.

Whenever the computer is idle and the screensaver starts up, its processing power will be added to the gravitational wave hunt. The combined capacity of hundreds of thousands of small computers joined in this way is much greater than anything normally available to scientists.

The scheme is modelled on SETI@home, a similar “distributed computing” scheme used by the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence to examine raw radio signals from space that would otherwise be impossible to process. A team at the University of Oxford is using similar methods to screen chemical compounds for their potential as drugs for treating leukaemia.

Einstein@home is one of dozens of initiatives starting in January under Einstein Year, which marks the centenary of the Swiss-born physicist’s annus mirabilis of achievement. In 1905, while working at the Swiss patent office in Berne, Einstein published three seminal papers that were to revolutionise modern physics. His analysis of the photoelectric effect laid the foundations of quantum mechanics and his investigations of Brownian motion proved the existence of atoms. His special theory of relativity mapped the relation of space and time and gave the world the equation E=mc².

Einstein Year will also involve a “Lab in a Lorry”, which will tour Britain staging physics experiments, public participation experiments at the Glastonbury Festival and a special dance production by the Rambert Dance Company. A party for 400 children, explaining the physics of football, will be held at Ipswich Town Football Club in March.

Gravitational waves are a great discovery waiting to happen, according to experts in the field, and the launch of Einstein@home means that members of the public will be able to claim a share of the credit if and when they are found. Caitlin Watson, the Einstein Year project manager at the Institute of Physics, said: “You could, in theory, be the person to discover a gravity wave, if it’s your computer that helps to track them down.” The waves are ripples in the fabric of space and time produced by violent energetic events such as exploding supernovae.

PHYSICAL FEATS

Brownian motion, 1905

This effect takes its name from Robert Brown, who in 1827 observed that pollen grains in water do not stand still, but jiggle about. Einstein explained in 1905 that it is due to movement of the water molecules. The experiments proved the existence of atoms

Photoelectric effect, 1905

Light generates an electric current when shone on metal — but only in certain colours. Blue light does this, but red light does not. Einstein’s experiments showed that this is because light is carried by particles known as photons, as well as waves. The discovery led to quantum theory

Special relativity, 1905

If the speed of light is constant, measurements of distance and time must vary according to how fast you are travelling. Thus the equation E=mc²

General relativity, 1915-16

An expanded version of the special theory, which includes the effect of gravity on the shape and flow of time

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