Top 10 Best Physics Experiments in History

What makes a physics experiment historically significant? Historians of science judge experiments on three axes: conceptual elegance (minimum assumptions, maximum insight), quantitative precision (repeatable, measurable results), and paradigm impact (forced a fundamental revision of accepted theory). Every experiment on this list scores highly on all three.

Which experiment has had the greatest influence on modern technology? Millikan's oil-drop measurement underpins all modern charge standards and semiconductor tolerances; Einstein's photoelectric-effect work is the theoretical foundation for solar cells and digital cameras; LIGO's 2015 detection opened gravitational-wave astronomy as an entirely new observational window on the cosmos.

Where can I read the original papers? Key primary sources are freely accessible: Einstein's 1905 photoelectric paper is archived at the [Nobel Prize site](https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1921/einstein/facts/); the LIGO discovery paper is open-access at [Physical Review Letters](https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102); and Millikan's 1913 oil-drop paper is available via the [American Physical Society](https://journals.aps.org/).

## Frequently Asked Questions About the Greatest Physics Experiments

What was the first famous physics experiment? Galileo's inclined plane experiments in the early 1600s are often cited as the first true modern physics experiments, because they used controlled measurement rather than pure thought.

Which physics experiment had the biggest impact? That's up to you — vote at the top of the list! Historically, many scientists point to the Michelson-Morley experiment, whose null result paved the way for Einstein's special relativity.

Why is the double-slit experiment so important? The double-slit experiment showed that light (and later matter) behaves as both a wave and a particle, founding the field of quantum mechanics.

What is the most recent physics experiment on this list? LIGO's 2015 detection of gravitational waves, a century after Einstein predicted them, is the most recent entry.