Getting Your Theory Reviewed: Tips and Resources for Young Scientists

[jtbell]

I'd say put your theory in a back gear for now and learn relativity and cosmology in-depth. It might take a few months, or maybe even a few years, but until you know modern physics like the back of your hand, you simply cannot determine if your theory is correct or not (without showing it to anyone else).

Keep your theory in your drawer or notebook or a folder on your computer, and use it as inspiration and to influence which topics you want to study in detail, while keeping it private. Eventually you will learn enough to know for yourself whether:

• it's in a line of research that people are actually pursuing
  
• it's already been thought of, examined seriously, and discarded
• it violates some fundamental principle and therefore was never a contender
• it's "not even wrong"

You'll probably find yourself for a while going one step forward, three steps back, as ZapperZ described, because really understanding cutting-edge science requires a lot of prerequisite knowledge, both in math and physics. There's a reason why physicists who do something really new generally end up preceding it with four years of high school, four years of undergraduate study, and 4-5 years of graduate school. And even then, most Ph.D. physicists don't make major breakthroughs, but simply help push the frontiers forward a bit, or serve in a support role (analogous to my father who was in the Signal Corps during World War II, instead of being on the front lines like my uncle).

 

[PWiz]

Keep your theory in your drawer or notebook or a folder on your computer, and use it as inspiration and to influence which topics you want to study in detail, while keeping it private. Eventually you will learn enough to know for yourself whether:

• it's in a line of research that people are actually pursuing
  
• it's already been thought of, examined seriously, and discarded
• it violates some fundamental principle and therefore was never a contender
• it's "not even wrong"

You'll probably find yourself for a while going one step forward, three steps back, as ZapperZ described, because really understanding cutting-edge science requires a lot of prerequisite knowledge, both in math and physics. There's a reason why physicists who do something really new generally end up preceding it with four years of high school, four years of undergraduate study, and 4-5 years of graduate school. And even then, most Ph.D. physicists don't make major breakthroughs, but simply help push the frontiers forward a bit, or serve in a support role (analogous to my father who was in the Signal Corps during World War II, instead of being on the front lines like my uncle).

I think this is a great approach, and it is one which I have practised over the past year. Perhaps it would be more illuminating to say that in that period, 5 "theories" came into my folder. I learned that one was of the last category, and three were of the 2nd category. Only one remains, and I'm almost certain that once I learn relativistic quantum field theory in some detail, it will be laid to rest as well (and this is me being optimistic about it).

However, I did not (and will not) consult anyone regarding these "theories" because:
a) I was (still am) 99.999% certain that an amateur like me couldn't possibly have come up with something that generations of people who dedicated their entire lives to the cause of science (and have done so for the past 500 years) overlooked
and
b) In the case that I had stumbled across some treasure under the garden (the public garden), I didn't want to give it away and was ready to sit on it for a decade to absolutely ensure it was real gold before considering reaching out to any scientific journal.

Personal advice - the probability of a new discovery is never 0, but it's closer to that number than ever in today's time. Keep learning to expand your horizons, but let go of something immediately when you realize it's flawed.

 

[Isaac0427]

Just because I want to learn from this doesn't mean this is how I want to learn physics. Believe me, if I could take a real class I would love to do it. Unfortunately, that is not an option for me. I just came across this idea in my studies, and all i want is it to be checked out so I don't have to wonder about it anymore. If I have something, great, if I don't, great. I just want to find out.

 

[micromass]

Just because I want to learn from this doesn't mean this is how I want to learn physics. Believe me, if I could take a real class I would love to do it. Unfortunately, that is not an option for me. I just came across this idea in my studies, and all i want is it to be checked out so I don't have to wonder about it anymore. If I have something, great, if I don't, great. I just want to find out.

Exactly how do you study?

 

[Isaac0427]

Exactly how do you study?

Every way I can- Articles, books, and lectures by multiple different professors

 

[PeterDonis]

if I could take a real class I would love to do it. Unfortunately, that is not an option for me.

To a large extent it is. College-level course materials are available online, for example MIT's Open Courseware. They include problem sets with solutions provided separately, so you can work them out on your own and then check your work.

What you will miss with that approach is personal feedback from knowledgeable people. One way to get that is to talk to your teachers. Another way is to post specific problems that you are having trouble with in the Homework forums here (be sure to fill out the complete homework template when you do). Either way it will take time and patience, but that's true for anything worthwhile. None of us here learned this stuff in a flash; we've all been through what you're going through now, and there's no shortcut.

I just came across this idea in my studies, and all i want is it to be checked out so I don't have to wonder about it anymore.

Unfortunately, there's no quick way to do that. What's more, I don't see why there should be. Whatever your idea is, it's not going anywhere; there's no reason why it has to be resolved right now.

 

[Isaac0427]

To a large extent it is. College-level course materials are available online, for example MIT's Open Courseware. They include problem sets with solutions provided separately, so you can work them out on your own and then check your work.

What you will miss with that approach is personal feedback from knowledgeable people. One way to get that is to talk to your teachers. Another way is to post specific problems that you are having trouble with in the Homework forums here (be sure to fill out the complete homework template when you do). Either way it will take time and patience, but that's true for anything worthwhile. None of us here learned this stuff in a flash; we've all been through what you're going through now, and there's no shortcut.
Unfortunately, there's no quick way to do that. What's more, I don't see why there should be. Whatever your idea is, it's not going anywhere; there's no reason why it has to be resolved right now.

Ok, thanks.

 

[Dale]

Ok, I will try to talk with my teacher.

That is a good idea. Please remember that PF is not the place to post personal theories. You may just be 13, but the forum rules still apply.

@rootone please do not pressure people into breaking the forum rules.

 

[rootone]

Although that was not my intention I apologise if it seemed that way.
I just wanted to ascertain what the OP is actually talking about since it's quite likely it could be an idea which already has been considered and proven false, (or 'not even wrong').

 

[Dale]

You are probably right. It is just that I don't want to have to issue an infraction.

@Isaac0427 I think that your question has been answered. Wait, learn more, and speak directly with your teacher.

For now let's close this thread.