As someone has pointed out above, these theroies are surely "untestable and unverifiable" for now but that doesn't make them unfalsifiable so we must not critisize the theorists just because we cannot test and verify them.
"We can invent as many theories we like, and any one of them can be made to fit the facts. But that theory is always preferred which makes the fewest number of assumptions."
And yet, physics ignores his LAST and FINAL conclusion about HIS theory:
"We may say that according to the general theory of relativity space is endowed with physical qualities; in this sense, therefore, there exists an aether. According to the general theory of relativity space without aether is unthinkable; for in such space there not only would be no propagation of light, but also no possibility of existence for standards of space and time (measuring-rods and clocks), nor therefore any space-time intervals in the physical sense. But this aether may not be thought of as endowed with the quality characteristic of ponderable media, as consisting of parts which may be tracked through time. The idea of motion may not be applied to it."
Can you expand upon this? I'm unclear as to which of Einstein's theories you are referencing.
And why does everyone think that without Einstein we would somehow enter a 100 year long dark age?
He said "without Einstein's theories". Physics would probably have progressed about the same, albeit set back by a bit without the man himself, but all those technologies would still have been dependent on someone doing what Einstein did.
Einstein was a theoretical physicist. Without his theories:
* Japan might not have been defeated in WWII.
* There might be more coal power plants, because there would be no nuclear power plants.
* GPS probably would never have worked.
* We'd have fewer successful space missions.
* There would be no superconductive magnets.
* There would be no digital cameras or solar cells.
* There would be no lasers.
I could keep going if you want...
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_relativity
http://www.guidetothecosmos.com/present_wwe.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoretical_physics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fission