3 Scientists Win Nobel in Physics for Detecting Gravitational Waves

[Judi Lynn]

By Jeanna Bryner, Live Science Managing Editor | October 3, 2017 06:21am ET

- click for image -

https://img.purch.com/h/1400/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzA4MS8zMjUvb3JpZ2luYWwvZ3Jhdml0YXRpb25hbC13YXZlcy1zaW11bGF0aW9uLmpwZw==

A computer simulation showing gravitational waves during a black-hole collision. The discovery has major implications for science.
Credit: MPI for Gravitational Physics/W.Benger-Zib


About 1.3 billion years ago, two black holes slammed into each other, sending ripples in space-time through the cosmos. Three scientists who were integral in detecting these so-called gravitational waves for the first time were awarded this year's Nobel Prize in physics this morning (Oct. 3).

Rainer Weiss of MIT, Kip S. Thorne of Caltech and Barry C. Barish, also at Caltech, "have ensured that more than four decades of effort led to gravitational waves finally being observed," according to NobelPrize.org.

On Sept. 14, 2015, the waves, which travel at the speed of light and result from some of the most violent collisions in space, showed up as weak wobbles in the light patterns at the twin LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) detectors in the United States.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/60586-nobel-in-physics-for-gravitational-waves.html?utm_source=notification

[longship]

1. "Gravitation" by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler.

When I was studying physics on my way to my BS, this book was the non plus ultra of theoretical physics, in that it layed down both the theoretical and mathematical bases of Einstein's general theory of relativity, his theory of gravitation.

I was often tempted to purchase this tome, but somehow its price kept me away, and as a broke undergraduate, it might not have done me much good.

Nevertheless, its three authors are legendary in theoretical physics, John Archibald Wheeler, Charles Misner, and Kip Thorne.

Kip Thorne is prominent in his study of black holes. So it is entirely appropriate that he is finally recognized by his contributions to the body of theory in which he has contributed so much, for so long.

Gravitation by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler.

[hunter]

2. Einstein would enjoy this.

The next step is to prove or disprove the purveyors of "quantum gravity."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_gravity

I'm still betting against.