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TechnologySurprise 5/5Difficulty 4/5Reviewed on September 18, 2026

The GPS system requires Einstein's theory of relativity to work.

Why it is true

Because satellites move very fast and are further from the Earth's centre of gravity, their atomic clocks tick at a different rate than clocks on the ground. Without Einstein's corrections, GPS would fail by kilometres a day.

Source: ESA

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