Gravitational wave astronomy reaches maturity with 390 confirmed detections by 2026
By
Ethan Siegel
Summary
The article discusses how gravitational wave astronomy has matured into a fully established scientific field by 2026. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration released results from their fourth observing run, adding 161 new gravitational wave events to the catalog, bringing the total to 390 confirmed detections. This marks a remarkable evolution from the field's birth just 11 years earlier, following the first detection in 2015/2016. The piece reflects on the journey from Einstein's 1915 theory of general relativity to the present day, where gravitational wave astronomy is now a routine and productive area of scientific research.
Source
bskyGravitational wave astronomy reaches maturity with 390 confirmed detections by 2026bigthink.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledHere in 2026, something remarkable has happened: the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration has just released their results from the second part of their fourth observing run.
All told, 161 new gravitational wave events were added to the catalog of successful direct detections, bringing the total number of events up to a staggering 390.
It's a remarkable feat for a field of science that, as little as 11 years ago, had not yet been born.
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