Gravitational waves are the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe

Gravitational waves were theoretically predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916 as a result of his theory of relativity. These are disturbances in space-time caused by the motion of very dense objects traveling at the speed of light. Direct detection of gravitational waves was made in 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

We can’t see the early universe directly, but we can see it indirectly if we look at how gravitational waves at that time affected the matter and radiation we can observe today.
Dr. Deepin Garg from Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

Gravitational waves are the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe

PPPL Physicists Use technology from fusion energy research, a process that generates energy for the sun and stars that scientists are developing to generate electricity on Earth without emitting greenhouse gases or producing long-lived radioactive waste. It turns out that in tokamak and stars there are processes that resemble the movement of gravitational waves through matter. Details can be read in the magazine Journal of Cosmology and Astrophysics.

Read also: Gravitational waves that may have originated in the early universe have been detected

Dr. Garg’s team has created patterns that could theoretically guide gravitational waves to reveal hidden properties of celestial bodies, such as stars many light years away. When waves travel through matter, they create light whose properties depend on the density of the material.

We can analyze this light and discover the properties of a star millions of light years away. This technology could also lead to discoveries about the crashing of neutron stars and black holes, the extremely dense remnants of dying stars. They can even reveal information about what was happening during the Big Bang and the very first moments of the universe.
Dr.. Deepin Garg

The researchers are now planning to use this technique for data analysis in the near future. “We now have some formulations, but more work will be needed to get significant results,” say the researchers.