Scientists have for the first time detected gravitational waves, ripples in space and time hypothesized by Albert Einstein a century ago, in a landmark discovery announced on Thursday that opens a new window for studying the cosmos.
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| Image Credit: Cyprus |
Forbes said.... the principal investigator of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), David Reitze, made the big announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, we have detected gravitational waves.” Some 1.3 billion light years away, two black holes of approximately 30 times the mass of the Sun each merged together, spiraling into one another and becoming one even more massive black hole of approximately 60 solar masses. These black holes and their merger involved some incredibly strong gravitational fields, and involved large masses moving very quickly through those strong fields, creating ripples in the fabric of space itself. After a journey through space at the speed of light, those ripples finally reached our detectors, taking up a tiny fraction of a second only. Yet we were able to detect them, thanks to the LIGO collaboration, and both detectors (in Washington and Louisiana) saw the same signal: one that matched the simulations precisely"
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| Image Credit: Elisa |
The detection of gravitational waves, announced on Thursday, proves an Albert Einstein theory right. He made huge strides forward in physics, to the point that his surname is used as another way of calling someone a genius. Yet there is plenty more to know about the man himself- BBC
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| Image Credit: space.com |
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