Gravitational Waves

As of last month, the group known as LIGO, was able to indirectly detect something that Einstein had predicted existed nearly 100 years ago. Einstein predicted the presence of gravitational waves. One of the oldest parts of Einstein's theory of relativity was the theory that space-time in fact is a fabric that can be bent by the presence of mass and energy.Masses are then accelerated in the Universe then produce ripples in fabric itself : these ripples are called gravitational waves. The detection of these gravitational waves predicts that gravity itself could be quantum in nature. There is no experimental evidence of this but, with the findings of gravitational waves convey this idea. Any mass that accelerates in a gravitational field can produce these gravitational waves yet, the gravitational field itself has to be incredibly strong. In order to detect, extremely large masses have to accelerate short distances. The only matter in the Universe that is capable of this feat are neutron stars and black holes. The difficult part about this is that neither of those things produce any light except for a type of neutron star known as a pulsar. The way gravitational fields were able to be discovered was the presence of a pulsar accelerating in the gravitational field of another neutron star and accelerating fast enough to combine. This discovery is truly important period in all sciences especially chemistry and physics. With the new discovery of waves, we can try and figure out how reality itself is quantum in nature. The mysteries of our Universe are closer to being solved. Another aspect that is truly astonishing about this discovery is that Einstein was able to predict their existence nearly 100 years ago. It is incredible to think how much more Einstein could have uncovered if he had access to the technology today or simply if he lived 10 more years into the 1960's.