News from Washington and Louisiana today — scientists have confirmed Einstein’s theory of gravitational waves not only by sight, but by sound. LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), which has detectors in both states, observed a disruption of light waves back in September of last year, positing the theory that the two-laser setup proves the existence of gravitational waves, brought into being by a billion-year-old black hole collision. To back up this finding they listened to recordings of the event, and lo — there’s a distinct “chirp” sound when the disruption hits. The New York Times goes into this better than I could. Consider this more fodder for my “Sounds of Space” comic.
What does all this mean? I have no idea, but it’s still REALLY FREAKING COOL
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