Explore the fascinating world of gravitational waves in this comprehensive lecture by cosmologist and astronomer Tessa Baker. Delve into the history of astronomy, from Newton's ideas about gravity to Einstein's groundbreaking theory of relativity. Discover how gravitational waves are created and detected, including the first-ever detection in 2015. Learn about black holes, neutron stars, and the relationship between gravitational waves and dark matter. Witness demonstrations illustrating complex concepts, such as Einstein's theory and the race between gravitational waves and light. Gain insights into upcoming gravitational wave detections and even learn about an app for detecting these cosmic ripples. This talk, recorded at the Royal Institution, offers a captivating journey through the sounds of spacetime and the latest advancements in gravitational wave astronomy.
Overview
Syllabus
Intro
A brief history of astronomy
New gravitational wave detection 2023
Newton’s ideas about gravity
Einstein’s theory of relativity demo
Einstein’s prediction confirmed during an Eclipse
‘The ghosts of stars’: black holes & neutron stars
How are gravitational waves created? demo
How are gravitational waves detected?
The first detection of gravitational waves
Gravitational waves as the sounds of spacetime
The first neutron star gravitational wave detection
A race between gravitational waves and light demo
How do gravitational waves relate to dark matter?
New gravitational wave detections about to start
An app to detect gravitational waves
Taught by
The Royal Institution
Related Courses
-
How Do You Detect a Black Hole? - LIGO and the Measurement of Gravitational Waves
-
Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy
-
Gravitational Wave Astronomy
-
Catching Gravitational Waves - Understanding Detection and Future Implications
-
Gravitational Waves - A New Era of Astronomy Begins
-
Exploring the Universe with Gravitational Waves - From the Big Bang to Black Holes
