Birth of a New Science: LIGO and the Discovery of Gravitational Waves by Bob Naeye
Channel: Northern Virginia Astronomy Club
Date: 08/09/2016

In February 2016 a large team of scientists stunned the world by announcing the discovery of gravitational waves from merging black holes. These long-sought ripples in the fabric of space-time are predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, but are extraordinarily difficult to detect. The discovery by LIGO was not only an astounding technological achievement, it opens up a new window for studying the universe. If history is a guide to the future, expect revolutionary science in the years ahead.