gravitational waves
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Radio Brightening Around Monumental Neutron Star Collision Tells A Confusing Story
August’s landmark observation of two colliding neutron stars was incredible for its immediate impact on astronomy. It answered questions, like “where did the universe’s gold come from” and “how fast is the universe expanding?” But it left behind mysteries, too. Like, “what the hell is going on with those gamma rays?”
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Can Scientists Figure Out Where Colliding Black Holes Come From?
When distant black holes (or neutron stars) collide, there’s a lot scientists can tell from the way they send gravitational waves rippling through space. That includes their masses, their distance, and how their spins line up with one another. But one question they’re still trying to figure out is, well, where are they?
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Aussie Scientists And Experts React To Today’s Massive Gravitational Wave Discovery
Overnight, scientists announced a significant discovery: the first detection of gravitational waves during a pair of neutron stars colliding and forming a black hole. This opens up a huge swathe of new research in astronomy, and Australian scientists — including those that took part in the event — are understandably excited.
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A New Gravitational Wave Detector Makes Its First Discovery
Image: The Virgo Collaboration Arguably the most exciting recent development in astronomy was 2016’s announcement of the discovery of gravitational waves, waves that literally ripple the shape of space itself, created by violent events like black holes colliding. But every gravitational wave discovery had always been done with only two detectors, meaning that scientists only…