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A sun-sized space telescope could transform how we see the cosmos

When two black holes collide, they release massive amounts of energy in the form of gravitational waves that last a fraction of a second and can be heard throughout the universe - if you have the right instruments. Today we learned that the #LIGO project heard the telltale chirp of black holes colliding, fulfilling Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. NASA's LISA mission will look for direct evidence of gravitational waves.
NASA Goddard
When two black holes collide, they release massive amounts of energy in the form of gravitational waves that last a fraction of a second and can be heard throughout the universe - if you have the right instruments. Today we learned that the #LIGO project heard the telltale chirp of black holes colliding, fulfilling Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. NASA's LISA mission will look for direct evidence of gravitational waves.

Ever wondered what happens when two supermassive black holes collide? According to NASA, these cosmic smash-ups are so powerful they create distortions in spacetime itself — what scientists call gravitational waves.

Gravitational waves can be elusive, making them hard to detect from Earth. But researchers believe these ripples could reveal a wealth of information about the universe and how it evolved.

To study them more closely, the European Space Agency, in collaboration with NASA, is building the first space-based gravitational wave detector, called LISA. The detector is a massive structure even larger than our sun.

Dr. Shane Larson, a professor of Physics and Director of Integrated Engineering and Applied Science Projects at Clarkson University, who is working with the LISA Consortium joined Idaho Matters, along with Cyprus Van Inwegen, a Board Member of Spacepoint, which is bringing Dr. Larson to JUMP in Boise on Saturday, Feb. 7.

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As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.