So, gravitational waves...

[Pulsar_t]

So that sumb***ch was right all along. Got we any scientist, explain to us what this about all?

[bmoc]

The short version is that we will eventually be able to see better and further into space. Currently we use electromagnetic radiation (visible light being one form) to see out into space and that is easily blocked or distorted by matter. Gravitational waves don't have that problem.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional scientist but I am pretty sure this is correct.

[TSTR]

all i wanna know is does this get us closer to Star Trek transporters

[Tanooki]

Understanding gravitational waves and being able to notice, observe and study them will allow for potentially far better things than matter transporters. You could open a whole new way of viewing things to perhaps in some warped way a new foundation for travel of some sort.

[TSTR]

Like Event Horizon?

DO YOU SEE

[KalessinDB]

This topic being started by Pulsar is just... right.

[flojocabron]

We have learned gravitational waves so we can find your mom!

[Tanooki]

Haha well played. Yo momma so fat we can only detect her from her own gravitational waves. The ultimate physicist burn joke for nerds.

[TSTR]

yep that got a chuckle hehe

[marurun]

What's intense is that these gravitational waves are so "weak" that this massive detection effort was necessary to pick up two black holes merging together. So yeah, they fill in a lot of theoretical spaces, but it's going to be a long time before we can see/hear them with any subtlety.