In 2015, scientists observed gravitational
waves.
For the first time ever, we could actually
‘see’ the distortion of space-time as
it reacted to huge events in space, like the
collision of black holes.
This was one of the most exciting physics
discoveries of our age, and the team involved
were even awarded the Nobel Prize in physics
last year....so why is this discovery now
being called into question?
Ok, this is some pretty earth-shaking, heck,
even space-shaking drama.
Scientific tea, if you will.
Some scientists are now questioning the methods
used at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
Observatory, which we all commonly know as
LIGO, where gravitational waves were first
observed.
It’s kind of like a really polite, but really
nitpicky episode of the real housewives of
astrophysics.
Just so we’re all clear, detecting gravitational
waves is really freakin’ hard, which is
one of the reasons why it was such a big deal.
When black holes, for instance, collide with
each other, they can merge, and in that merging
process, some of the energy of that collision
is released into the universe as gravitational
radiation.
This is essentially a ripple that distorts
the earth by about the width of an atomic
nucleus.
So you can see why it was impressive when
the LIGO Scientific Collaboration said they
were able to detect this wave.
But the minuteness of a gravitational wave
is not the only problem LIGO faces.
Yes, the detector has to be unprecedentedly
sensitive to observe and measure a gravitational
wave, but it also has to be able to pick out
that wave from the endless buzz of other background
noise, like the natural vibration of the earth
itself.
So, in order to make sure that what they’re
measuring is really a gravitational wave and
not something else, LIGO has two independent
sites: one in Louisiana and one in Washington.
Between these two detectors, almost a continent
away from each other, there shouldn’t be
any overlap in their noise patterns, but the
wave--the signal they’re actually looking
for, should show up in corresponding places
at both observatories.
So we should be able to easily identify what
is noise--all that stuff that doesn’t match
up between detectors.
Then when you subtract that away you’re
left with only the signal--the gravitational
wave.
That’s the ideal, anyway.
And this is where the friendly collegial discussion
starts.
A team of physicists at the Niels Bohr Institute
in Copenhagen made their own analysis of the
LIGO’s freely and publicly available data
and they take issue with some of the methods
used.
When the Danish team re-analyzed LIGO’s
data, they found that while the wave signal
matched up between the two detectors, so did
some of the noise.
Which it shouldn’t, because the noise is
supposed to be random and independent between
observatories.
Which introduces the problem that maybe, the
signals that LIGO picked out are...less clear
than the world would like to believe?
As you can imagine, there’s been a LOT of
back and forth on this.
The LIGO team has responded to the Danish
team’s concerns by basically saying that
the methods and computer programs they used
to extract the original data are extremely
complicated and the Danish team wasn’t using
them correctly.
Which then prompts responses from some people
(like me) who say, “Ok, but even if your
science is right it should be at least be
repeatable for other teams in your field,
LIGO, ya diva”.
And the Danish responded by saying “thank
you for teaching us more about your computer
program, we re-did our analysis and we still
think your results are funky”
And here’s the thing.
This kind of kerfuffle...has happened before.
Einstein predicted gravitational waves’
existence in 1916, and if we’ve actually
detected them, we’ve now observed his theory
of general relativity in the tangible, physical
properties of our universe.
Which helps us better understand gravity and
where it comes from and why it behaves how
it does--pretty huge and important mysteries
we’re still facing in physics.
Since Einstein’s original proposal, several
other noteworthy experiments have tried to
detect gravitational waves, with two standouts
claiming that they had, to much excitement...only
to then be debunked, very publicly.
Rather embarrassing for all involved.
So it’s right to be skeptical, especially
about something as huge and groundbreaking
as this particular phenomenon.
But.
When all is said and done and when the dust
settles around this flurry of agitated physicists,
even in the most extreme scenario, scientists
agree that we’ve still definitely detected
gravitational waves.
This is the real deal this time, guys.
It’s not that LIGO didn’t detect the waves,
it’s simply that their analysis may need
improvement.
And if it remains unimproved, these methods
could be introducing room for error that no
one wants to have to deal with.
This is the scientific process in action.
As you watch this video, LIGO is putting together
a detailed document revealing how they got
their results, so what could have been a potential
rift has instead opened up some important
dialogue in the scientific community and will
hopefully be productive and just help us do
the science better.
And as of this early December,  LIGO detected four more black hole mergers while looking through their previous observational data.
he researchers say that these dectections weren’t as “loud” and needed more careful analysis.
With that in mind, maybe this new paper will help qualm any debates about their techniques.
As dramatic as it sounded like 
it was gonna be, I don’t think it’s gonna
provide enough material for an ultra-exciting
Hollywood reimagining.
At least not yet.
I guess we’ll see what happens.
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