gravitational waves

Topic description and stories

Artist’s impression of merging neutron stars, Credit: ESO/L. Calçada/M. Kornmesser

First detection of gravitational waves and light produced by colliding neutron stars

16 Oct 2017

In a galaxy far away, two dead stars begin a final spiral into a massive collision. The resulting explosion unleashes a huge burst of energy, sending...

Artist's conception shows two merging black holes similar to those detected by LIGO.

LIGO detects gravitational waves for third time

01 Jun 2017

Results confirm new population of black holes.

Illustration of gravitational vortex, Credit: ESA/ATG medialab

Gravitational vortex provides new way to study matter close to a black hole

12 Jul 2016

An international team of astronomers has proved the existence of a ‘gravitational vortex’ around a black hole, solving a mystery that has eluded...

Computer simulations motivated by GW150914

Using gravitational waves to catch runaway black holes

30 Jun 2016

Black holes are the most powerful gravitational force in the Universe. So what could cause them to be kicked out of their host galaxies? Cambridge...

Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein’s prediction

11 Feb 2016

New window on the universe is opened with the observation of gravitational waves – ripples in spacetime – caused by the collision of two black holes...