It ended the search for proof of a key prediction in Einstein’s theory, which changed the way that humanity perceived key concepts like space and time.
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Scientists have for the first time observed ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe.
Perhaps even more importantly, gravitational waves could enable scientists to explore the very early stages of the universe, Stojkovic says. The two black holes cited in the discovery of the waves are estimated to be about 29 and 36 times the mass of the sun, the team said.
The discovery was exciting news for physicists around the world, and the best science is yet to come, Kinney says: “This will allow us to directly study the physics of black holes, neutron stars and other astrophysical objects, and will nearly certainly produce surprises – things that we had no idea were there”.
Professor Gabriela Gonzalez of Louisiana State University, the spokesperson for LIGO said, “You can only believe they are real if you observe them at the same time in two different places”.
In what is being hailed as one of the biggest eureka moments in the history of physics, scientists announced Thursday that they have finally detected gravitational waves, the ripples in the fabric of space and time that Einstein predicted a century ago.
“Up until now, we have been deaf to the universe”, Reitze said.
“The discovery is the first detection of a black hole binary system and the first observation of black holes merging”.
Since humans first gazed at the heavens, they have observed the universe primarily through the window of the electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light waves, radio waves, and X-rays. When their light is combined, the beams no longer cancel each other out, so they deposit light onto the detectors. Besides, they also helped in analysing response of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detector to signals.
Ironically, Einstein didn’t think gravitational waves would ever be discovered. A laser beam is split and travels both arms, bouncing off mirrors to return to the arms’ intersection.
Scientists reported in 2014 they had detected gravitational waves using a telescope in Antarctica; however, the discovery turned out to be a false alarm after further research found the data was contaminated by cosmic dust. Gravitational waves would be like ripples that emanate from a pebble thrown in a pond. To date, we’ve been able only to see their aftereffects – black holes themselves remain a conjecture.
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A picture shows part of the Virgo detector for gravitational waves that is located within the Europe …
