Gravitational waves
gravitational waves
Albert Einstein's 100-year-old theory about gravitational waves has been proved correct. And now the breakthrough has been recognized with the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics.
Scientists working with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Ligo) first confirmed the discovery of gravitational waves in February 2016. A second set of waves was confirmed four months later on June 15.
The first waves detected, spotted in data collected on September 14, 2015 were the result of two black holes 36 and 29 times the mass of our sun merging. The second set of gravitational waves were sent travelling through spacetime when two black holes eight and 14 times the mass of our sun collided.
This collision took place 1.4 billion years ago and created a massive spinning black hole 21 times the mass of the sun. An additional sun's worth of mass was transformed into gravitational energy. The second detection was "very strong" despite the smaller sizes of the black holes.
The scientific collaboration involved around 90 academic and scientific institutions from more than 15 countries, including MIT and Caltech. Professors Kip Thorne, Barry Barish and Rainer Weiss were award the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics thanks to their "decisive contributions to the Ligo detector and the observation of gravitational waves".
"We’re thrilled to hear that the Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 has gone to gravitational wave detection," said Professor Sheila Rowan, Director of the University of Glasgow’s Institute for Gravitational Research, and one of the UK leads on Ligo. "The discovery of the existence of gravitational waves, just over two years ago, has opened up a whole new way to understand the universe."
Professor Mark Hannam, from Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, echoed the sentiment, saying: "We already knew gravitational waves existed. We already knew black holes existed. What Kip Thorne, Barry Barish and Rainer Weiss did was to build the first machine sensitive enough to be able to directly *measure* gravitational waves. It took them over forty years, and the result was the most sensitive measuring device ever made. It is an incredible new tool that has only begun to transform our understanding of the universe."
The gravitational waves research has previously been recognized by a number of institutions. In November 2016, Sheila Rowan and her team at the University of Glasgow took home the WIRED Audi Innovation Award for the best scientific breakthrough of the year for their work on the Ligo project.
And in December 2016, Physics World awarded the discovery with Breakthrough of the Year. “What’s been achieved by Ligo, particularly in a relatively short space of time, is truly incredible,” said Physics World editor Hamish Johnston.