The LIGO Lab Is Pushing the Boundaries of Gravitational-Wave Research

In this episode of Scientific American's Science Quickly podcast, Rachel Feltman interviews Matthew Evans, MIT's MathWorks Professor of Physics, at the LIGO Lab about the hunt for gravitational waves. Evans explains that gravitational waves are ripples in space-time, detectable by LIGO's interferometers, which measure the movement of mirrors caused by these waves. He details how LIGO works, its extreme sensitivity, and the ongoing efforts to improve its capabilities through quantum technology and better mirrors. Evans also discusses the future Cosmic Explorer project, a next-generation detector that aims to observe events from throughout the universe, allowing scientists to study the evolution of stars and the universe's stellar graveyard. He touches on the collaborative nature of the LIGO project, the potential for detecting new and unknown phenomena, and the technological spin-offs that may benefit other fields.