for all of human history everything that we know about the universe has been
we know about the universe has been
we know about the universe has been based on what we can see that is until
based on what we can see that is until
based on what we can see that is until last year when we heard the universe for
last year when we heard the universe for
last year when we heard the universe for the first time a hundred years ago
the first time a hundred years ago
the first time a hundred years ago Albert Einstein predicted that the
Albert Einstein predicted that the
Albert Einstein predicted that the universe has a song his theory of
universe has a song his theory of
universe has a song his theory of general relativity completely changed
general relativity completely changed
general relativity completely changed the way we think about the universe and
the way we think about the universe and
the way we think about the universe and he was 26 when he did it now the theory
he was 26 when he did it now the theory
he was 26 when he did it now the theory of general relativity sounds complicated
of general relativity sounds complicated
of general relativity sounds complicated but it’s really based on one simple idea
but it’s really based on one simple idea
but it’s really based on one simple idea that every object with mass causes space
that every object with mass causes space
that every object with mass causes space itself to curve around it so imagine
itself to curve around it so imagine
itself to curve around it so imagine space as the surface of a trampoline the
space as the surface of a trampoline the
space as the surface of a trampoline the surface of the trampoline is flat until
surface of the trampoline is flat until
surface of the trampoline is flat until a kid stands on it then the surface of
a kid stands on it then the surface of
a kid stands on it then the surface of the trampoline curves around the kid so
the trampoline curves around the kid so
the trampoline curves around the kid so just by our very existence each one of
just by our very existence each one of
just by our very existence each one of us is producing a divot in space right
us is producing a divot in space right
us is producing a divot in space right now now our divots are pretty small so
now now our divots are pretty small so
now now our divots are pretty small so if you want to create a major dent in
if you want to create a major dent in
if you want to create a major dent in space you need something with an
space you need something with an
space you need something with an astronomical mass like the earth or the
astronomical mass like the earth or the
astronomical mass like the earth or the Sun or a black hole
Sun or a black hole
Sun or a black hole now imagine that kid starts running
now imagine that kid starts running
now imagine that kid starts running around the trampoline creating waves in
around the trampoline creating waves in
around the trampoline creating waves in the surface of the trampoline these are
the surface of the trampoline these are
the surface of the trampoline these are like the waves and air that creates
like the waves and air that creates
like the waves and air that creates sound and the same thing happens in
sound and the same thing happens in
sound and the same thing happens in space if you have an object with mass
space if you have an object with mass
space if you have an object with mass moving through space it creates ripples
moving through space it creates ripples
moving through space it creates ripples and space itself and these ripples are
and space itself and these ripples are
and space itself and these ripples are called gravitational waves so every time
called gravitational waves so every time
called gravitational waves so every time you walk or run or even just wave your
you walk or run or even just wave your
you walk or run or even just wave your arms in the air you’re creating
arms in the air you’re creating
arms in the air you’re creating gravitational waves when it comes to
gravitational waves when it comes to
gravitational waves when it comes to interesting gravitational wave signals
interesting gravitational wave signals
interesting gravitational wave signals it doesn’t get much better than this
and your gravitational waves are passing
and your gravitational waves are passing through everyone else’s bodies and their
through everyone else’s bodies and their
through everyone else’s bodies and their gravitational waves are passing through
gravitational waves are passing through
gravitational waves are passing through yours when I explained this to my Astro
yours when I explained this to my Astro
yours when I explained this to my Astro 101 class one student raised his hand
101 class one student raised his hand
101 class one student raised his hand and asked so does that explain vibes
which is such a boulder question I love
which is such a boulder question I love it but to create large gravitational
it but to create large gravitational
it but to create large gravitational waves you need something with a lot of
waves you need something with a lot of
waves you need something with a lot of mass moving very very fast such as a
mass moving very very fast such as a
mass moving very very fast such as a pair of black holes that are orbiting
pair of black holes that are orbiting
pair of black holes that are orbiting each other
each other
each other the gravitational waves produced here
the gravitational waves produced here
the gravitational waves produced here are big enough that we’d have some
are big enough that we’d have some
are big enough that we’d have some chance of detecting them here on earth
chance of detecting them here on earth
chance of detecting them here on earth and when these waves hit the earth they
and when these waves hit the earth they
and when these waves hit the earth they stretch and compress the earth the
stretch and compress the earth the
stretch and compress the earth the animation you’re seeing here is greatly
animation you’re seeing here is greatly
animation you’re seeing here is greatly exaggerated which is kind of too bad
exaggerated which is kind of too bad
exaggerated which is kind of too bad because it looks like it’d be a wild
because it looks like it’d be a wild
because it looks like it’d be a wild ride right so while we’ve known for a
ride right so while we’ve known for a
ride right so while we’ve known for a hundred years the gravitational waves
hundred years the gravitational waves
hundred years the gravitational waves should produce these wobbles in the
should produce these wobbles in the
should produce these wobbles in the earth the hard part has been figuring
earth the hard part has been figuring
earth the hard part has been figuring out how to detect them so fifty years
out how to detect them so fifty years
out how to detect them so fifty years ago scientists came up with an idea for
ago scientists came up with an idea for
ago scientists came up with an idea for how to do it build a device called an
how to do it build a device called an
how to do it build a device called an interferometer that has two equal length
interferometer that has two equal length
interferometer that has two equal length arms send a laser beam of light down
arms send a laser beam of light down
arms send a laser beam of light down each arm and since the arms are the same
each arm and since the arms are the same
each arm and since the arms are the same length
length
length it should take the light the same amount
it should take the light the same amount
it should take the light the same amount of time to travel up and down each arm
of time to travel up and down each arm
of time to travel up and down each arm now if a gravitational wave comes by it
now if a gravitational wave comes by it
now if a gravitational wave comes by it will stretch or compress the length of
will stretch or compress the length of
will stretch or compress the length of one arm compared to the other so that
one arm compared to the other so that
one arm compared to the other so that the light travel times become slightly
the light travel times become slightly
the light travel times become slightly different and it’s that slight change
different and it’s that slight change
different and it’s that slight change that’s the tell-tale signature of a
that’s the tell-tale signature of a
that’s the tell-tale signature of a gravitational wave a collaboration
gravitational wave a collaboration
gravitational wave a collaboration called LIGO
called LIGO
called LIGO set out to build these interferometers
set out to build these interferometers
set out to build these interferometers and they built one in Hanford Washington
and they built one in Hanford Washington
and they built one in Hanford Washington and one in Livingston Louisiana these
and one in Livingston Louisiana these
and one in Livingston Louisiana these interferometers each have arms that are
interferometers each have arms that are
interferometers each have arms that are two and a half miles long and a
two and a half miles long and a
two and a half miles long and a gravitational wave from a speeding black
gravitational wave from a speeding black
gravitational wave from a speeding black hole would change the length of those
hole would change the length of those
hole would change the length of those arms by one ten thousandth of the size
arms by one ten thousandth of the size
arms by one ten thousandth of the size of a proton
right and that’s what we’re up against
right and that’s what we’re up against just to give you an idea of how tiny
just to give you an idea of how tiny
just to give you an idea of how tiny that is that’d be like trying to measure
that is that’d be like trying to measure
that is that’d be like trying to measure a difference of the width of a human
a difference of the width of a human
a difference of the width of a human hair
hair
hair and the distance between the earth and
and the distance between the earth and
and the distance between the earth and the nearest star Proxima Centauri
so measuring such tiny distances is a
so measuring such tiny distances is a tremendous feat of Engineering and it
tremendous feat of Engineering and it
tremendous feat of Engineering and it all paid off when LIGO announced it had
all paid off when LIGO announced it had
all paid off when LIGO announced it had discovered gravitational waves right
discovered gravitational waves right
discovered gravitational waves right that deserves
it had heard those first musical notes
it had heard those first musical notes of the universe and the gravitational
of the universe and the gravitational
of the universe and the gravitational waves it heard first hit in Livingston
waves it heard first hit in Livingston
waves it heard first hit in Livingston and then a split second later they hit
and then a split second later they hit
and then a split second later they hit in Hanford now on the clip I’m gonna
in Hanford now on the clip I’m gonna
in Hanford now on the clip I’m gonna play for you you’ll hear the actual
play for you you’ll hear the actual
play for you you’ll hear the actual pitches of the gravitational waves
pitches of the gravitational waves
pitches of the gravitational waves detected by LIGO played twice then
detected by LIGO played twice then
detected by LIGO played twice then you’ll hear the same sound but played at
you’ll hear the same sound but played at
you’ll hear the same sound but played at a higher pitch that’s easier to hear
a higher pitch that’s easier to hear
a higher pitch that’s easier to hear played twice and then the whole sequence
played twice and then the whole sequence
played twice and then the whole sequence will repeat from the beginning so you
will repeat from the beginning so you
will repeat from the beginning so you ready to hear what space sounds like
ready to hear what space sounds like
ready to hear what space sounds like alright here we go
and just from the shapes of those waves
and just from the shapes of those waves detected by Lego we know that they were
detected by Lego we know that they were
detected by Lego we know that they were produced in a distant galaxy by a pair
produced in a distant galaxy by a pair
produced in a distant galaxy by a pair of black holes orbiting each other until
of black holes orbiting each other until
of black holes orbiting each other until they collided and we haven’t even seen
they collided and we haven’t even seen
they collided and we haven’t even seen these black holes we know this just from
these black holes we know this just from
these black holes we know this just from what they sound like
what they sound like
what they sound like and these gravitational waves had to
and these gravitational waves had to
and these gravitational waves had to travel for a billion years across the
travel for a billion years across the
travel for a billion years across the universe to reach earth so at the time
universe to reach earth so at the time
universe to reach earth so at the time yeah that’s a hell of a journey
yeah that’s a hell of a journey
yeah that’s a hell of a journey so at the time they were emitted the
so at the time they were emitted the
so at the time they were emitted the most advanced life-form on earth was
most advanced life-form on earth was
most advanced life-form on earth was algae so while these waves are speeding
algae so while these waves are speeding
algae so while these waves are speeding towards us we have to hurry up and
towards us we have to hurry up and
towards us we have to hurry up and evolved humans those humans have to
evolved humans those humans have to
evolved humans those humans have to learn general relativity build an
learn general relativity build an
learn general relativity build an interferometer and turn it on just in
interferometer and turn it on just in
interferometer and turn it on just in time for these gravitational waves of
time for these gravitational waves of
time for these gravitational waves of five
and with these first sounds detected by
and with these first sounds detected by LIGO a completely new window on the
LIGO a completely new window on the
LIGO a completely new window on the universe was opened and our relationship
universe was opened and our relationship
universe was opened and our relationship with the universe was forever changed
with the universe was forever changed
with the universe was forever changed imagine you are deaf and walking through
imagine you are deaf and walking through
imagine you are deaf and walking through a forest you could recognize the Aspen’s
a forest you could recognize the Aspen’s
a forest you could recognize the Aspen’s and the Oaks you could notice that the
and the Oaks you could notice that the
and the Oaks you could notice that the leaves are changing their colors but
leaves are changing their colors but
leaves are changing their colors but that’s only half the picture you
that’s only half the picture you
that’s only half the picture you wouldn’t realize that there are birds
wouldn’t realize that there are birds
wouldn’t realize that there are birds chirping overhead or that the leaves are
chirping overhead or that the leaves are
chirping overhead or that the leaves are crunching under your feet you’d be
crunching under your feet you’d be
crunching under your feet you’d be missing some of the fundamental parts of
missing some of the fundamental parts of
missing some of the fundamental parts of the forest and you wouldn’t even know it
the forest and you wouldn’t even know it
the forest and you wouldn’t even know it many of us have seen those Facebook
many of us have seen those Facebook
many of us have seen those Facebook videos of someone hearing for the first
videos of someone hearing for the first
videos of someone hearing for the first time and the look of awe and surprise on
time and the look of awe and surprise on
time and the look of awe and surprise on their faces that’s what’s happening to
their faces that’s what’s happening to
their faces that’s what’s happening to us right now we’ve learned a lot about
us right now we’ve learned a lot about
us right now we’ve learned a lot about the universe from the light that we’ve
the universe from the light that we’ve
the universe from the light that we’ve collected with our eyes and our
collected with our eyes and our
collected with our eyes and our telescopes over the centuries but only
telescopes over the centuries but only
telescopes over the centuries but only just last year where our ears opened for
just last year where our ears opened for
just last year where our ears opened for the first time and we were awed by what
the first time and we were awed by what
the first time and we were awed by what we heard from the shape of those waves
we heard from the shape of those waves
we heard from the shape of those waves detected by LIGO we know that those
detected by LIGO we know that those
detected by LIGO we know that those orbiting black holes each had a mass of
orbiting black holes each had a mass of
orbiting black holes each had a mass of around 30 Suns that’s more massive than
around 30 Suns that’s more massive than
around 30 Suns that’s more massive than many physicists thought that kind of
many physicists thought that kind of
many physicists thought that kind of black hole could even get so already
black hole could even get so already
black hole could even get so already those first sounds from the universe
those first sounds from the universe
those first sounds from the universe were full of surprises for me
were full of surprises for me
were full of surprises for me gravitational waves are the biggest
gravitational waves are the biggest
gravitational waves are the biggest scientific discovery of my lifetime and
scientific discovery of my lifetime and
scientific discovery of my lifetime and I’m not alone one of the LIGO operators
I’m not alone one of the LIGO operators
I’m not alone one of the LIGO operators Corey gray went so far as to commemorate
Corey gray went so far as to commemorate
Corey gray went so far as to commemorate the event with ink
now I don’t have any tattoos but if I
now I don’t have any tattoos but if I were to get one that would be it the
were to get one that would be it the
were to get one that would be it the discovery of gravitational waves is all
discovery of gravitational waves is all
discovery of gravitational waves is all but guaranteed to win a Nobel Prize in
but guaranteed to win a Nobel Prize in
but guaranteed to win a Nobel Prize in Physics and I’d bet my car that they’d
Physics and I’d bet my car that they’d
Physics and I’d bet my car that they’d win this year granted I Drive a 17 year
win this year granted I Drive a 17 year
win this year granted I Drive a 17 year old Camry but it has a lot of
old Camry but it has a lot of
old Camry but it has a lot of sentimental value and this is only the
sentimental value and this is only the
sentimental value and this is only the beginning with this new dimension open
beginning with this new dimension open
beginning with this new dimension open on our studies of the universe will soon
on our studies of the universe will soon
on our studies of the universe will soon be able to hear other kinds of
be able to hear other kinds of
be able to hear other kinds of gravitational waves for example we can’t
gravitational waves for example we can’t
gravitational waves for example we can’t study the first moments of the
study the first moments of the
study the first moments of the universe’s existence with light because
universe’s existence with light because
universe’s existence with light because the early universe was opaque for the
the early universe was opaque for the
the early universe was opaque for the first four hundred thousand years after
first four hundred thousand years after
first four hundred thousand years after the Big Bang
the Big Bang
the Big Bang but with gravitational waves we can hear
but with gravitational waves we can hear
but with gravitational waves we can hear what the beginnings of the universe
what the beginnings of the universe
what the beginnings of the universe sounded like even though we can’t see it
we’ll also be able to detect
we’ll also be able to detect gravitational waves from collisions of
gravitational waves from collisions of
gravitational waves from collisions of supermassive black holes which are the
supermassive black holes which are the
supermassive black holes which are the behemoth black holes at the Centers of
behemoth black holes at the Centers of
behemoth black holes at the Centers of galaxies and the subject of my own
galaxies and the subject of my own
galaxies and the subject of my own research I studied the light that comes
research I studied the light that comes
research I studied the light that comes from around those supermassive black
from around those supermassive black
from around those supermassive black holes and I study every kind of light I
holes and I study every kind of light I
holes and I study every kind of light I can from the radio to the visible to the
can from the radio to the visible to the
can from the radio to the visible to the x-ray but I’m still only getting part of
x-ray but I’m still only getting part of
x-ray but I’m still only getting part of the picture I’ve been deaf to what those
the picture I’ve been deaf to what those
the picture I’ve been deaf to what those black holes sound like now gravitational
black holes sound like now gravitational
black holes sound like now gravitational waves from collisions of supermassive
waves from collisions of supermassive
waves from collisions of supermassive black holes will produce low-pitched
black holes will produce low-pitched
black holes will produce low-pitched gravitational waves so they’ll be like
gravitational waves so they’ll be like
gravitational waves so they’ll be like the thumping baseline of the universe
the thumping baseline of the universe
the thumping baseline of the universe and Lycos arms are too short to detect
and Lycos arms are too short to detect
and Lycos arms are too short to detect these low pitch waves so we’re gonna
these low pitch waves so we’re gonna
these low pitch waves so we’re gonna need to build a bigger interferometer so
need to build a bigger interferometer so
need to build a bigger interferometer so big in fact that it can’t be contained
big in fact that it can’t be contained
big in fact that it can’t be contained on earth we’re gonna have to build it in
on earth we’re gonna have to build it in
on earth we’re gonna have to build it in space Lisa as it’s called will launch in
space Lisa as it’s called will launch in
space Lisa as it’s called will launch in the coming decades and will consist of
the coming decades and will consist of
the coming decades and will consist of three spacecraft each separated by one
three spacecraft each separated by one
three spacecraft each separated by one and a half million miles as astrophysics
and a half million miles as astrophysics
and a half million miles as astrophysics folks that’s six times the distance
folks that’s six times the distance
folks that’s six times the distance between the earth and the moon
between the earth and the moon
between the earth and the moon but that’s what it takes to detect those
but that’s what it takes to detect those
but that’s what it takes to detect those low-pitched waves and I can’t wait for
low-pitched waves and I can’t wait for
low-pitched waves and I can’t wait for what surprises will be in store when
what surprises will be in store when
what surprises will be in store when Lisa hears those super massive black
Lisa hears those super massive black
Lisa hears those super massive black holes for the first time last year we
holes for the first time last year we
holes for the first time last year we heard the first notes of the universe
heard the first notes of the universe
heard the first notes of the universe with LIGO and in the future Lisa will
with LIGO and in the future Lisa will
with LIGO and in the future Lisa will soon be able to hear the overlapping
soon be able to hear the overlapping
soon be able to hear the overlapping treble and bass lines from the
treble and bass lines from the
treble and bass lines from the collisions of stars and black holes
collisions of stars and black holes
collisions of stars and black holes stellar explosions and the echoes of the
stellar explosions and the echoes of the
stellar explosions and the echoes of the Big Bang the song of the universe
”
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