Gravitational Waves

Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time caused by the acceleration of massive objects, like merging black holes or neutron stars. Predicted by Einstein’s General Relativity, they travel at the speed of light, stretching and squeezing space as they pass. These subtle waves carry information about their origins, allowing scientists to study events far beyond our galaxy, enhancing our understanding of the universe and fundamental physics. Detectors like LIGO and Virgo have successfully observed these waves, marking a new era in astrophysics where we can "listen" to the cosmos and explore phenomena we could not see with light alone.