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| Start Date: | 3/8/2016 | Start Time: | 11:00 AM |
| End Date: | 3/8/2016 | End Time: | 12:30 PM |
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Event Description:
FLEX # 164
Scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Washington announced on February 11th 2016 that they had discovered direct evidence of gravitational waves. They did so by imaging two colliding black holes situated more than one billion light years away from Earth. This discovery is monumental for our understanding of physics, gravity, and the large-scale behavior of the cosmos. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of such waves in 1916 when he presented his General Theory of Relativity to the world. Indirect evidence was first found in the 1970s by studying pulsars, but direct evidence has long eluded scientists because of the relative weakness of the gravitational force. The LIGO instrument has been in development for decades to get around this problem and yesterday’s announcement has finally proven its investment value of $1.1 billion. This workshop will give an overview of relativity, the structure of space and time, the nature of gravity waves and how one detects them, and what their existence portends for the future of cosmology and physics. It is geared toward the non-scientist; anyone interested in this important development and who wants to learn more about the mysteries of relativity and the cosmos is welcome. |
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Location:
Center for Excellence |
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