Earth in a vortex of space-time

Nasa said we will soon know the answer. A NASA physics experiment called Gravity Probe B (GP-B) just finished a year gathering data in Earth orbit. Within a year of analyzing the results, the shape of space-time around Earth will be known.

Time and space, according to Einstein's theories of relativity, are woven together, forming a four-dimensional fabric called "space-time." Gravity "dimples" this fabric, and the tremendous size of Earth makes these dimples noticable. Think of it as sitting in the middle of a trampoline. Gravity, is simply the motion of objects following the curvaceous lines of this trampoline, like Earth sitting in space.

More from Nasa's Gravity Probe project here