LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves

Around 100 years ago, Einstein published his General Theory of Relativity... "In Einstein's general theory of relativity, gravity is treated as a phenomenon resulting from the curvature of spacetime. ... These propagating phenomena are known as gravitational waves. As a gravitational wave passes an observer, that observer will find spacetime distorted by the effects of strain." EInstein described gravity not as a force, but as a consequence of the curvature of spacetime caused by the uneven distribution of mass."

This Theory of relativity and gravity waves is the subject of this educational video... There is now a theory that we may be able to "create and ride" a gravitational wave at the speed of light and therein is where the interest of Theoretical Physicists and Astrophysicists lies.

"Dr. Weiss provides a short and simple explanation of how to find a gravitational wave, a discovery that proved a prediction that Einstein made 100 years earlier. He describes how his team developed the LIGO detector to search for these elusive events and how they can be used to better understand the cosmos. In 2017, Dr. Weiss was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, along with Kip Thorne and Barry Barish, for seminal contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves. Dr. Weiss is Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at MIT. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. "

Enjoy!