"Gravitational Waves: From Einstein to a New Science"

Note: *Refreshments will be served at 3:00PM; 38th Annual Dean S. Edmonds Sr. Banquet
Speaker: Barry Barish, Nobel Laureate 2017 & Ronald and Maxine Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus California Institute of Technology

When: April 24, 2018 (Tue), 03:30PM to 04:30PM (add to my calendar)
Location: SCI 109
Hosted by: Lawrence Sulak
View the poster for this event.

This event is part of the Physics Department Colloquia Series.

Though Einstein predicted gravitational waves 100 years ago, the effects are so tiny that even he thought they would never be detected. After 40 years of controversy, theorists developed a consensus that they really did exist transforming the question to: Can experimentalists develop instruments sensitive enough to actually detect them? The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, using exquisitely delicate techniques, has now made dramatic observations of gravitational waves coming from both the collision of two Black Holes and from Binary Neutron Stars. These observations have opened a totally new window on the universe. The history, discoveries and future science will all be presented.