Nov. 5, 2015

One hundred years ago this month, Albert Einstein revolutionized our understanding of gravity— space and time were no longer a passive stage on which the universe evolved, but instead a dynamic participant. Perhaps Einstein's most fascinating prediction is the existence of gravitational waves, disturbances in spacetime that are generated by cataclysms such as the merger of two black holes. Scientists are on the cusp of making the first direct detection of these waves using ground-based interferometers and are making the first steps towards building gravitational-wave observatories in space. These efforts promise to usher in an entirely new field of astronomy.
Join Tony Darnell, Alberto Conti, and Harley Thronson along with guests Shane Larson (Adler Planetarium/Northwestern University), Joey Shapiro-Key (University of Texas), and Ira Thorpe (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) on Friday, 20 November, at 3:00 pm EST for a discussion of the science and technology behind gravitational waves and the instruments used to observe them.
Please bring your questions and comments for our experts; we look forward to "Hanging Out" with you! If you use G+, then please let us know you're coming by RSVP'ing on our event page. You can also join us on YouTube.