One scientist’s 10-year quest to calculate the strength of gravity

image via New Scientist

April 24, 2026, 8:00 PM

• •The universal gravitational constant (G) determines the strength of the gravitational force between objects.
• •Measuring G is challenging due to the force's weakness and the difficulty of isolating it.
• •Schlamminger's team used a torsion balance, refining methods from a previous study.
• •The new measurement provided a data point but highlighted the ongoing uncertainty in G's exact value.
• •The quest to measure G is driven by the pursuit of precision and the potential for new discoveries in physics.

Physicist Stephan Schlamminger and his team spent a decade measuring the universal gravitational constant, or G, aiming to refine its value, a quest that has spanned centuries. Despite advancements, determining G's exact value remains challenging due to its weak force and the limitations of current instruments, as previous measurements show significant variations. Schlamminger's recent measurement, using a torsion balance, provided a new data point, yet it differed from both prior measurements and the established standard, suggesting continued uncertainty. This ongoing pursuit is driven by the excitement of precise measurement and the potential to uncover new physics, even if the value itself has limited practical applications.

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