Gravitational waves
Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time that occur when two massive objects collide in space. Albert Einstein was the first to predict gravitational waves in his General Theory of Relativity, but it was only 100 years later in 2015 that they were finally discovered by the sensitive instruments on the LIGO interferometer. ESA's LISA mission will continue the search using even more sensitive instruments from Earth's orbit, with the potential to massively increase our ability to detect these faint ripples in the fabric of space-time.
What is gravity? A guide to nature's most mysterious force (and what we still don't know)
Everyone knows that what goes up must come down. But why? Gravity, it turns out, is full of surprises…
Instant Genius Podcast | Gravity, with Marcus Chown
Science writer Marcus Chown joins us on our podcasts, Instant Genius and Instant Genius Extra.
New technique could uncover gravitational echoes of the Big Bang
Researchers can now sift through the astrophysical noise to see the conditions of the early Universe.
Gravitational wave detectors capture their most massive black hole merger to date
The collision was more of a 'bang' than a 'chirp'.
Flash of light seen from possible black hole collision
The gravity associated with black holes is so great that nothing – not even light – usually escapes from them.
Mysterious object may be smallest black hole ever found
The object lies in the ‘mass gap’, making it heavier than the heaviest neutron star and lighter than the lightest black hole.
A brief history of gravity | From apples to gravitational waves
Feel the full force of history in this quick introduction to gravity, electromagnetism and how we came to understand what’s keeping us stuck to the floor and orbiting the Sun.
Cosmic spacequakes and their heavy metal energy
In this extract from Nicholas Mee's The Cosmic Mystery Tour, he explores the power behind two colliding neutron stars and how they hold the power to build the heaviest of elements.
Dark matter | Something’s wrong with gravity
A new theory could rewrite the laws of physics as we know them, and finally explain what dark matter is.
Why 2019 is going to be a good year for gravitational waves
Next year, we should detect a new type of gravitational wave.
What would happen if a very strong gravitational wave passed through us?
It's unlikely to end well.
How we discovered gravitational waves from 'neutron stars' – and why it's such a huge deal
The discovery of tiny ripples in space from the violent collision of dense stars could help solve many mysteries – including where the gold in our jewellery comes from.
How Doctor Who's time machine measures up with real instruments of space and time
Disappointed about Doctor Who's TARDIS ending up at the wrong place at the wrong time? Don't be – it's incredibly precise.
Optical clock successfully tested in space
New method of measuring time could make GPS tracking hundreds of times more accurate than with atomic clocks.
Gravitational waves point to primordial black holes
New theory suggests LIGO-Virgo discovered gravitational waves came from mysterious black holes during the Big Bang.
Can gravitational waves teach us about the inside of a black hole?
We know a lot about black holes, but have recent discoveries unlocked any secrets?
What is the speed of gravity?
Einstein’s General Relativity says gravity travels at the speed of light. Proving it is far from simple.
Gravitational waves found: the inside story
It is the physics discovery of the century – even bigger than the Higgs Boson. Here's how it happened and what it means, by a key member of one of the lead teams
Einstein’s mystery of gravitational waves solved
LIGO scientists discover gravitational waves, completing the final puzzle of Einstein’s theory of General Relativity and opening the door to a new era of astronomy.
What are gravitational waves?
It was 100 years ago that Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves. Are we just about to prove it?
LISA Pathfinder will pave the way for us to 'see' black holes for the first time
Why the LISA pathfinder mission, just about to launch, could revolutionise astronomy forever by giving us a completely new window into the universe.
The Unknown Universe – 10 questions still confounding cosmologists
We still have a long way to go when it comes to untangling the mysteries of the Universe. Stuart Clark takes a look at some of the most perplexing questions yet to be answered by science and how close we are to finding the facts about space.
Second set of gravitational waves detected
LIGO measures second gravitational wave event just four months after initial findings that proved Einstein’s theory
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Gravity is a force that obeys an ‘inverse square law’ and, strictly speaking, the Earth’s gravity will always pull on an object, no matter how distant.