[Music] our story begins in a galaxy far far
our story begins in a galaxy far far
our story begins in a galaxy far far away long-forgotten times about 1
away long-forgotten times about 1
away long-forgotten times about 1 billion years ago in a galaxy 1 billion
billion years ago in a galaxy 1 billion
billion years ago in a galaxy 1 billion light-years away two black holes circled
light-years away two black holes circled
light-years away two black holes circled around each other they got closer and
around each other they got closer and
around each other they got closer and closer faster and faster and their speed
closer faster and faster and their speed
closer faster and faster and their speed reached 60% of the speed of light they
reached 60% of the speed of light they
reached 60% of the speed of light they finally crashed into each other this
finally crashed into each other this
finally crashed into each other this crash
crash
crash stared up the structure of space-time
stared up the structure of space-time
stared up the structure of space-time itself the generated gravitational waves
itself the generated gravitational waves
itself the generated gravitational waves which is September 2015
which is September 2015
which is September 2015 passed through earth and change the
passed through earth and change the
passed through earth and change the distance between mirrors separated by
distance between mirrors separated by
distance between mirrors separated by four kilometers in remote sites in
four kilometers in remote sites in
four kilometers in remote sites in Louisiana and Washington State by an
Louisiana and Washington State by an
Louisiana and Washington State by an unimaginably small amount a millionth of
unimaginably small amount a millionth of
unimaginably small amount a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a meter
a millionth of a millionth of a meter
a millionth of a millionth of a meter and these changes only lasted for a
and these changes only lasted for a
and these changes only lasted for a fraction of a second the celebrated
fraction of a second the celebrated
fraction of a second the celebrated scientific breakthrough was not only the
scientific breakthrough was not only the
scientific breakthrough was not only the first direct detection of gravitational
first direct detection of gravitational
first direct detection of gravitational waves or the first detection of merging
waves or the first detection of merging
waves or the first detection of merging black holes or the first detection of
black holes or the first detection of
black holes or the first detection of stellar-mass black holes outside our own
stellar-mass black holes outside our own
stellar-mass black holes outside our own galaxy or the most powerful individual
galaxy or the most powerful individual
galaxy or the most powerful individual event ever recorded the detection was
event ever recorded the detection was
event ever recorded the detection was also also a triumph of modern technology
also also a triumph of modern technology
also also a triumph of modern technology and what is possible the significant
and what is possible the significant
and what is possible the significant number of highly talented people and me
number of highly talented people and me
number of highly talented people and me put their heads together to make the
put their heads together to make the
put their heads together to make the impossible possible but what is this all
impossible possible but what is this all
impossible possible but what is this all about and why is it so important when
about and why is it so important when
about and why is it so important when you think of a star you think of its
you think of a star you think of its
you think of a star you think of its brightness so largely you want to look
brightness so largely you want to look
brightness so largely you want to look at it now there are billions of stars in
at it now there are billions of stars in
at it now there are billions of stars in each galaxy at very far distances all
each galaxy at very far distances all
each galaxy at very far distances all awesome look like a singer merged spot
awesome look like a singer merged spot
awesome look like a singer merged spot now try to find a black hole
now try to find a black hole
now try to find a black hole of the size of Paris or New York black
of the size of Paris or New York black
of the size of Paris or New York black hole that doesn’t let any light out
hole that doesn’t let any light out
hole that doesn’t let any light out inside this spot it is impossible but
this is our advantage
this is our advantage black holes like a lot of noise when
black holes like a lot of noise when
black holes like a lot of noise when they crash into one another in the fall
they crash into one another in the fall
they crash into one another in the fall of 2015 we started listening with our
of 2015 we started listening with our
of 2015 we started listening with our new instruments Carlile detected a few
new instruments Carlile detected a few
new instruments Carlile detected a few of these crashes this whooping sound
of these crashes this whooping sound
of these crashes this whooping sound from this sound we determined that this
from this sound we determined that this
from this sound we determined that this was a pair of black holes each of them
was a pair of black holes each of them
was a pair of black holes each of them around 30 times heavier than our Sun
around 30 times heavier than our Sun
around 30 times heavier than our Sun still only as large as Paris or New York
still only as large as Paris or New York
still only as large as Paris or New York and this pair collided merged and the
and this pair collided merged and the
and this pair collided merged and the witness the formation of a new heavier
witness the formation of a new heavier
witness the formation of a new heavier black hole born a billion years ago we
black hole born a billion years ago we
black hole born a billion years ago we would never have seen them these are
would never have seen them these are
would never have seen them these are black holes hiding very likely was in
black holes hiding very likely was in
black holes hiding very likely was in billions of bright stars so now we know
billions of bright stars so now we know
billions of bright stars so now we know that these black holes exist that they
that these black holes exist that they
that these black holes exist that they existed a billion years ago that they
existed a billion years ago that they
existed a billion years ago that they merge because we listened because we
merge because we listened because we
merge because we listened because we detect the gravitational waves emitted
detect the gravitational waves emitted
detect the gravitational waves emitted during this collision but what our
during this collision but what our
during this collision but what our gravitational waves
gravitational waves
gravitational waves it started astrophysicists John Wheeler
it started astrophysicists John Wheeler
it started astrophysicists John Wheeler and his way to summarize general
and his way to summarize general
and his way to summarize general relativity he said space-time that’s
relativity he said space-time that’s
relativity he said space-time that’s matter how to move metal that’s
matter how to move metal that’s
matter how to move metal that’s space-time how to curve gravity needs to
space-time how to curve gravity needs to
space-time how to curve gravity needs to be understood as geometry and curved
be understood as geometry and curved
be understood as geometry and curved space-time and not as a force that
space-time and not as a force that
space-time and not as a force that exists in absolute space and time a Big
exists in absolute space and time a Big
exists in absolute space and time a Big Bird’s right okay they alone don’t
Bird’s right okay they alone don’t
Bird’s right okay they alone don’t really help us here I think so let’s try
really help us here I think so let’s try
really help us here I think so let’s try again visualizes in our
again visualizes in our
again visualizes in our three-dimensional world imagine a
three-dimensional world imagine a
three-dimensional world imagine a bowling ball Krauser and you roll it
bowling ball Krauser and you roll it
bowling ball Krauser and you roll it across a spandex sheet the spandex the
across a spandex sheet the spandex the
across a spandex sheet the spandex the two-dimensional representation of our
two-dimensional representation of our
two-dimensional representation of our three-dimensional world the bulling
three-dimensional world the bulling
three-dimensional world the bulling water curves of spandex into its third
water curves of spandex into its third
water curves of spandex into its third dimension creates a curved space
dimension creates a curved space
dimension creates a curved space this is somewhat similar to masters
this is somewhat similar to masters
this is somewhat similar to masters which curve space-time and deform the
which curve space-time and deform the
which curve space-time and deform the geometry we live in now we can add a
geometry we live in now we can add a
geometry we live in now we can add a second bowling ball to it the two can
second bowling ball to it the two can
second bowling ball to it the two can circle around each other like two
circle around each other like two
circle around each other like two massive stars or black holes can circle
massive stars or black holes can circle
massive stars or black holes can circle around each other similar to the bowling
around each other similar to the bowling
around each other similar to the bowling balls creating waves on the spandex the
balls creating waves on the spandex the
balls creating waves on the spandex the two stars and black holes create waves
two stars and black holes create waves
two stars and black holes create waves on space-time and these are the famous
on space-time and these are the famous
on space-time and these are the famous gravitational waves we just discovered
gravitational waves we just discovered
gravitational waves we just discovered 18 months ago but these waves are
18 months ago but these waves are
18 months ago but these waves are nothing you can see they’re much more
nothing you can see they’re much more
nothing you can see they’re much more like sound waves traveling across
like sound waves traveling across
like sound waves traveling across space-time or spandex sheet stretching
space-time or spandex sheet stretching
space-time or spandex sheet stretching and compressing it but the changes are
and compressing it but the changes are
and compressing it but the changes are incredibly small imagine you take a
incredibly small imagine you take a
incredibly small imagine you take a meter stick you shove it up into a
meter stick you shove it up into a
meter stick you shove it up into a million pieces
million pieces
million pieces now you take one of these pieces one
now you take one of these pieces one
now you take one of these pieces one micrometer thick 100 times thinner than
micrometer thick 100 times thinner than
micrometer thick 100 times thinner than your hair you take one of these pieces
your hair you take one of these pieces
your hair you take one of these pieces that you can barely see and chop it up
that you can barely see and chop it up
that you can barely see and chop it up another million times now we are 10 to
another million times now we are 10 to
another million times now we are 10 to the minus 12 meters or picometer hundred
the minus 12 meters or picometer hundred
the minus 12 meters or picometer hundred times smaller than the smallest atom to
times smaller than the smallest atom to
times smaller than the smallest atom to hydrogen atom is two with me really
hydrogen atom is two with me really
hydrogen atom is two with me really because we take this piece and chop it
because we take this piece and chop it
because we take this piece and chop it up another million times now we have
up another million times now we have
up another million times now we have thousand times smaller than the proton
thousand times smaller than the proton
thousand times smaller than the proton and these are the length changes that we
and these are the length changes that we
and these are the length changes that we can detect with libel and here’s how it
can detect with libel and here’s how it
can detect with libel and here’s how it works in principle we take a laser beam
works in principle we take a laser beam
works in principle we take a laser beam we split it up first we draw it again as
we split it up first we draw it again as
we split it up first we draw it again as some simple lines we split up send it
some simple lines we split up send it
some simple lines we split up send it out into a two orthogonal directions
out into a two orthogonal directions
out into a two orthogonal directions four kilometers away their mirrors
four kilometers away their mirrors
four kilometers away their mirrors reflect the laser beam back we combine
reflect the laser beam back we combine
reflect the laser beam back we combine the laser field again and we set it up
the laser field again and we set it up
the laser field again and we set it up correctly then the maximum of one wave
correctly then the maximum of one wave
correctly then the maximum of one wave and a meaning of the other wave that sit
and a meaning of the other wave that sit
and a meaning of the other wave that sit on top of each other and the laser beams
on top of each other and the laser beams
on top of each other and the laser beams will cancel each other out and would be
will cancel each other out and would be
will cancel each other out and would be dark at the dark port there’s no light
dark at the dark port there’s no light
dark at the dark port there’s no light coming out now in a gravitational wave
coming out now in a gravitational wave
coming out now in a gravitational wave changes the length of each of these arms
changes the length of each of these arms
changes the length of each of these arms they are not longer in sync they are
they are not longer in sync they are
they are not longer in sync they are kind of getting out of phase and some
kind of getting out of phase and some
kind of getting out of phase and some light starts to show up it’s a dark port
light starts to show up it’s a dark port
light starts to show up it’s a dark port this technique is called laser
this technique is called laser
this technique is called laser interferometry
interferometry
interferometry there’s a most sensitive way to measure
there’s a most sensitive way to measure
there’s a most sensitive way to measure any lengths changes okay this was
any lengths changes okay this was
any lengths changes okay this was elegant right I’ll show you a little
elegant right I’ll show you a little
elegant right I’ll show you a little movie some Bigley lines and brighter and
movie some Bigley lines and brighter and
movie some Bigley lines and brighter and dimmer spots coming up there and now
dimmer spots coming up there and now
dimmer spots coming up there and now everybody can run out here and did an
everybody can run out here and did an
everybody can run out here and did an instrument that can measure millions of
instrument that can measure millions of
instrument that can measure millions of a millionth of a millionth of a meter
a millionth of a millionth of a meter
a millionth of a millionth of a meter really know in principle it is that
really know in principle it is that
really know in principle it is that simple but the technology that we had to
simple but the technology that we had to
simple but the technology that we had to develop worldwide and which we developed
develop worldwide and which we developed
develop worldwide and which we developed in part also here at UF they used to
in part also here at UF they used to
in part also here at UF they used to build the most sensitive complex and
build the most sensitive complex and
build the most sensitive complex and complicated instrument humans ever built
complicated instrument humans ever built
complicated instrument humans ever built the details and science behind these
the details and science behind these
the details and science behind these instruments is overwhelming on its own
instruments is overwhelming on its own
instruments is overwhelming on its own and it is impossible to cover this in
and it is impossible to cover this in
and it is impossible to cover this in any presentation so let’s not try to
any presentation so let’s not try to
any presentation so let’s not try to explain these things here but what I
explain these things here but what I
explain these things here but what I want to say is that it took guts for
want to say is that it took guts for
want to say is that it took guts for scientific fathers to start on a journey
scientific fathers to start on a journey
scientific fathers to start on a journey now more than 50 years ago to detect
now more than 50 years ago to detect
now more than 50 years ago to detect these gravitational waves to prove
these gravitational waves to prove
these gravitational waves to prove Einstein wrong who thought that they
Einstein wrong who thought that they
Einstein wrong who thought that they will never be detected because they are
will never be detected because they are
will never be detected because they are so small let us summarize the last
so small let us summarize the last
so small let us summarize the last centuries we’ve studied the universe as
centuries we’ve studied the universe as
centuries we’ve studied the universe as our eyes and then with our telescopes we
our eyes and then with our telescopes we
our eyes and then with our telescopes we figured out that the visible light is
figured out that the visible light is
figured out that the visible light is only a small fraction of the
only a small fraction of the
only a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum and we observe
electromagnetic spectrum and we observe
electromagnetic spectrum and we observe the universe and all electromagnetic
the universe and all electromagnetic
the universe and all electromagnetic colors and frequencies ranging from the
colors and frequencies ranging from the
colors and frequencies ranging from the four microwaves to gamma rays we look at
four microwaves to gamma rays we look at
four microwaves to gamma rays we look at the universe but we never listen to it
the universe but we never listen to it
the universe but we never listen to it and the closer we look the more obvious
and the closer we look the more obvious
and the closer we look the more obvious it became that there are things out
it became that there are things out
it became that there are things out there that are hidden from sight like
there that are hidden from sight like
there that are hidden from sight like black holes so closing our eyes and
black holes so closing our eyes and
black holes so closing our eyes and starting to listen it’s a natural thing
starting to listen it’s a natural thing
starting to listen it’s a natural thing to do except that the sound is so feeble
to do except that the sound is so feeble
to do except that the sound is so feeble we first had to build detectors so
we first had to build detectors so
we first had to build detectors so naturally unimaginable sensitivity light
naturally unimaginable sensitivity light
naturally unimaginable sensitivity light but light was barely the beginning of
but light was barely the beginning of
but light was barely the beginning of our adventure into the sound of the
our adventure into the sound of the
our adventure into the sound of the universe we continued to improve the
universe we continued to improve the
universe we continued to improve the library tectors we started planning new
library tectors we started planning new
library tectors we started planning new ones we also plan to send a detector in
ones we also plan to send a detector in
ones we also plan to send a detector in space
space
space this space detector called Lisa will use
this space detector called Lisa will use
this space detector called Lisa will use three spacecraft separated by two and a
three spacecraft separated by two and a
three spacecraft separated by two and a half million kilometres and we play Star
half million kilometres and we play Star
half million kilometres and we play Star Wars and shoot laser beams between the
Wars and shoot laser beams between the
Wars and shoot laser beams between the satellites and use again laser
satellites and use again laser
satellites and use again laser interferometry to measure lengths
interferometry to measure lengths
interferometry to measure lengths changes ask gigantic as ten thousand
changes ask gigantic as ten thousand
changes ask gigantic as ten thousand proton diameters which by the way is
proton diameters which by the way is
proton diameters which by the way is still ten million times smaller than a
still ten million times smaller than a
still ten million times smaller than a human hair but this would be enough to
human hair but this would be enough to
human hair but this would be enough to detect gravitational waves from the
detect gravitational waves from the
detect gravitational waves from the biggest crashes in the universe the
biggest crashes in the universe the
biggest crashes in the universe the crashes between supermassive black holes
crashes between supermassive black holes
crashes between supermassive black holes of a million to 100 million solar masses
of a million to 100 million solar masses
of a million to 100 million solar masses which sit inside the center of nearly
which sit inside the center of nearly
which sit inside the center of nearly every galaxy in the universe
every galaxy in the universe
every galaxy in the universe so Lisa and I go after the history and
so Lisa and I go after the history and
so Lisa and I go after the history and evolution of black holes the heaviest
evolution of black holes the heaviest
evolution of black holes the heaviest and darkest objects in our universe
and darkest objects in our universe
and darkest objects in our universe their evolution is closely linked to the
their evolution is closely linked to the
their evolution is closely linked to the evolution of our galaxies and to
evolution of our galaxies and to
evolution of our galaxies and to structure formation in the universe
structure formation in the universe
structure formation in the universe itself but legal and especially Iza will
itself but legal and especially Iza will
itself but legal and especially Iza will also see many other signals but this
also see many other signals but this
also see many other signals but this should be a topic of another talk this
should be a topic of another talk this
should be a topic of another talk this new sense that we just opened up will
new sense that we just opened up will
new sense that we just opened up will open a new era in astronomy and
open a new era in astronomy and
open a new era in astronomy and astrophysics which will revolutionize
astrophysics which will revolutionize
astrophysics which will revolutionize again our understanding of the universe
again our understanding of the universe
again our understanding of the universe thanks
”
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