Gravitational Waves Are Awesome

Everything you need to know about gravitational waves. In February 2016 scientists announced the first detection of gravitational waves by humans on Earth. This was a huge, world changing, discovery. The gravitational waves were caused by a pair of colliding black holes 1.3 billion light years away 1.3 billion years ago. This video summaries all the of the mind blowing facts about the gravitational waves and describes LIGO, the incredibly sensitive telescope that detected them.
#gravitationalwaves #space #DomainOfScience
If you would like to buy a poster you can get one here www.redbubble.c...
Errata and clarifications.
I endeavour to be as accurate as possible in my videos, but I am human and definitely don’t know everything, so there are sometimes mistakes. Also, because my videos are summaries of some quite complex science, I make simplifications. Some of these are intentional because I don’t have time to go into full detail, but sometimes they are unintentional and here is where I clear them up.
1. I got the month of the original detection wrong! It was September 2015, not November 2015. Silly me, my apologies.
2. “1.3 billion years ago, 1.3 billion light years away” This is incorrect and an oversight on my part. I completely forgot to take into account the expansion of the Universe. The resulting black hole is 1.3 billion light years from us today, but was closer to us when the collision happened, which means that it happened less than 1.3 billion years ago. I tried to work out exactly when but was stumped because I couldn’t find the function for the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. The redshift of the signal from the black holes was about 10%, so I thought the collision was 10% closer in time than 1.3 billion years i.e. 1.18 billion years, but I think it might be a bit more complicated than that.
3. LIGO schematic animation. I made a couple of silly errors here. The first circular mirror that the laser hits should be 90º to the way I oriented it: half the laser light is transmitted and half reflected, each one going up a different arm.
4. LIGO schematic animation. When the laser bounced back and forth it should bounce between the two suspended mirrors and not go all the way back to the diagonal mirror.
5. VIRGO is near Pisa, not at Trento as I drew on the map. I said the right thing but drew the wrong thing. My apologies.
6. ‘A second even more powerful collision.” Wrong again! The second collision was less powerful and the signal was more buried in the noise.
I’m not happy with the number of flat out mistakes I made on this one! I will try better in the future. I blame it on the Christmas spirits.
If you would like to find out more about gravitational waves and the detection here are the original papers and some very informative links.
Main LIGO scientific paper: journals.aps.or...
Supplementary LIGO paper: iopscience.iop....
Articles:
physicsworld.co...
www.nature.com/...
www.businessins...
www.space.com/3...
www.ligo.org/sc...
www.nature.com/...
www.nature.com/...
What they sound like:
www.vox.com/201...
Also, if you enjoyed this video, you will probably like my science books, available in all good books shops around the work and is printed in 16 languages. Links are below or just search for Professor Astro Cat. They are fun children's books aimed at the age range 7-12. But they are also a hit with adults who want good explanations of science. The books have won awards and the app won a Webby.
Frontiers of Space: nobrow.net/shop...
Atomic Adventure: nobrow.net/shop...
Intergalactic Activity Book: nobrow.net/shop...
Solar System App: www.minilabstud...
Find me on twitter, instagram, and my website:
dominicwalliman...
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/ dominicwalliman

[@wendten2]

this is by far the best explanation i have seen so far on the topic.. very well done..

[@mysteriousiamjewishmysteri2373]

Mikael Wendt 😢i want education i am hurt i want to goe to university yeah 😭hello give me good explanation ?47584554(╥╯θ╰╥)３２５７８５６=

[@Dwg256]

# 312.

[@timothychung797]

Please do videos about 1. String theory 2. Loop quantum gravity 3. Dark energy and matter 4. Things like do you believe the unuverse is expanding in an accelerating speed/ decelerating speed/it gets pulled back by it's own gravity? Please reply if you see this, THANKS!

[@busyhacker8129]

What about some innovative idea???

[@byronwilks1131]

Nice suggestion!

[@malolangovindarajan5858]

If you want videos like that check out PSB space time Not sponsors

[@carlsonbench1827]

Astrophysicists have only one tool in their kit-the hammer of gravitational theory. To them everything is Mass.

[@aadivivekpadhi7248]

yeah, they are all awesome topics!!!

[@LeiosLabs]

These are some fantastic visualizations. Great video!

[@michaelgroesbeck8850]

Yes, they are representative visualizations, not real observations. Keep your pseudo-science out of science.

[@laser4887]

cant disagree

[@endingalaporte]

Dominic. I discovered your channel 10mins ago. I love your video. I will definetly support you on patron. I wish you the best for making us realise how exiting our situation is!!

[@domainofscience]

Thanks so much man! :D

[@aniekanumoren6088]

Willie Combs the pendulum no?

[@aniekanumoren6088]

Willie Combs first of all the spinning of the earth doesn't do anything cuz it isn't accelerating therefore the measurements taken in our reference frame are just as valid as those taken in a "stationary" reference frame

[@aniekanumoren6088]

Willie Combs the pendulums don't defy physics they act as insulation from any perturbations

[@aniekanumoren6088]

Willie Combs and for the expansion and contraction of earth, I'm going to assume you mean plate tectonics. And if u did some research you would see that ligo was built in geographically inactive regions. Fite me (lol jk)

[@davidwrightme]

So that's what it sounds like when two massive black holes collided huh? Bwoop!

[@GutsLikesItInTheAss]

After a measly 1.3 BILLION years of elongation and reduction in energy. Nothing much. BWWWWOOOOOP!

[@theeccentricwriter4657]

ScutFarcus That's not actually how they sound. Because there was no sound there. This is just converted into sound waves, it's more like an artist's rendition. Not the real thing. If you were even hundred light years closer to that, it'd have ripped every single molecule in your body apart.

[@thatmomentwhen9718]

I am just asking, but if so ("it'd have ripped every single molecule in your body apart"), why didn't this wave destroy other celestial bodies on its way to us? Wouldn't we be able to observe them by now? (Sorry for bad English, I am not native)

[@balthazarnaylor5874]

@@thatmomentwhen9718 well if they got turned into space dust there is no real way for us to discover them

[@mariosspyrou1054]

2019 here Black hole photograph is out Nice

[@baisakhisaha]

mindblowing explanation!!

[@sagnikmukherjee1189]

The two animation videos that you made are really very well done. As someone who is interested in astophysics but too lazy to read articles, I will definitely say that this is by far one of the best productions on KZbin that I have seen. You should definitely keep this up! And please make the map of mathematics, I will be looking forward to it.

[@salwafaishalalkatiri4541]

This channel makes me like physics, I couldn't understand physics in my school, but from this video, I became more excited for learning physics. Thank you so much!

[@tomconti-leslie7089]

Great video, really well explained! Your animation system is fantastic. That last zoom out at the end made me wonder if you'd make your final image available on flickr or something like you did with the map of physics? And I'm defninitely in favour of a map of mathematics video too :)

[@JayDonga]

Having great knowledge on some topic and being able to explain it exceptionally well is a different thing. Very few can do it like you. Thanks!

[@obiarnold9498]

Brilliant. When you played that sound, I passed out from awe.

[@LikeAGroove]

the way you explain and illustrate all these things is just amazing, please make more of these animation videos :D

[@samueltso1291]

Thank you for the production of this film. I, a physics graduate some 40 years ago and then never toughed it again, do enjoy watching the film and find it very easy to understand which has raised my interests again. I was very interested in special and general relativity as well as quantum mechanics during my study time. Hope you can produce more short films on these two very interesting subjects.

[@dannyunixanalyst9018]

I have to challenge you on the 'infinite density' bit. From a quick google... "You can use the Schwarzschild radius to calculate the density of the black hole - i.e., the mass divided by the volume enclosed within the Schwarzschild radius. This is roughly equal to (1.8x1016 g/cm3) x (Msun / M)2". Scott Manley describes the possibility of a black hole having a lower average density than water, i.e. it would theoretically float. (edit: I was originally a bit terse. This is actually a nice piece of work and I enjoyed watching it. Thanks)

[@amit4rou]

wait what? wasn't the first signal detected in September 14 2015...

[@domainofscience]

Oh balls, you are totally right! I got the month wrong! I'll add an errata. Thanks for pointing this out Amit.

[@amit4rou]

DominicWalliman You are welcome, keep up with the big picture view of these kind of topics. And wish you a Happy new year 2017

[@domainofscience]

Thanks! And happy new year to you too!

[@modolief]

I think you can do inline edits to the video -- like an overlay that says "Errata: the correct date is September 14, 2015". I'm not sure how to do that, but I've seen it.

[@theuniverse2713]

oh wow you just haaaaaaaaaaaad to ruin it i started celebrating because I was born on November 14

[@zcross7009]

This is simply amazing! how can you dislike this??!? Please never stop these videos. EXPLAIN TO ME EVERYTHING!

[@Ryukachoo]

2:29 wait hold up three solar masses worth of energy? as in three times the sun's mass converted to energy? Jesus, that's a biiiiiiig number

[@mukulvdhiman]

yup :D

[@Kaiju3301]

Zymoox fucking wasteful black holes smdh

[@werther41]

wow, that's the amount of energy we need if humankind would like to broadcast the location of earth to the whole universe. no wonder there's no alien found so far.

[@mysteriousiamjewishmysteri2373]

City of Stars 😭harvest enormous too much help ?how much doe we need?😜we all have way too much if there ❻tintillion miles in all directions in space for the universe size And that not all finite as universe is there is 50qintillion Atoms known and of unknown ones there has to be more universe has finite the space is infinite in volume is empthy

[@sashab9128]

Fuck nuclear energy, let’s just bash black holes together and rule the universe!! In other notes, black hole energy is a thing. If I remember correctly, you can harness the energy from a super small black hole (massively small as well). The only difference is that that method obviously doesn’t produce as much energy. It’s only a few steps behind fusion though in terms of powering shuttles for space travel. AND it’s hella cool.

[@thinkfloyd2594]

Thanks much for this - very good explanation, great visualizations. Great job.

[@ljcalderon90]

Duuuuude I can't believe it's been almost 2yrs since they detected gravitational waves! I remember hearing about it as if it was yesterday. I had no idea that the LIGO detectors had been turned on just 2 days before they received their first signal. Amazing. Another awesome video, Dominic. Can't wait for the next one!

[@superstringcheese]

Such a cool story and exciting discovery. Funny that you drew little highlights on the black holes though :) Can't wait for all the neat stuff to come out of this new tool.

[@frankhalderson5965]

This video is so well done and the subject is so mind blowing. The possibilities are so exciting. I actually welled up a little bit with emotion. Well done!

[@ravivadali7836]

The best simple comprehensive explanation. Kudos to the great work.

[@baum8456]

Its crazy how good you are in explaining this.... I was literally nearly to cry because it’s so fascinating

[@monacojerry]

I read the New York Times article on the discover of gravitational waves to my 8 year old and then showed him this video. He loved it. And thank you for the education!

[@domainofscience]

That is awesome! Thanks for letting me know :)

[@Ninkira]

The explanation of where the first detected gradational wave was thrilling. Would it be worth it to make an update with the subsequent notable discoveries? Or are such explanations of the project's discoveries found somewhere, collected?

[@ShenLong33]

WOW!!! Loved your video , just like the last one. Keep on doing this kind of material. Its beautiful.

[@terapode]

This vídeo is in my TOP 10 BEST vídeos I´v ever seen... Such interesting and educational. Thumbs up, shared and signed on this channel. Best Regards.

[@alyan51]

Super informative and very well explained!! The animations are on point! Keep them coming :)

[@BrynleyPearlstone]

Virgo is just outside of Pisa, a long way from Trento. Have you looked into KAGRA, Japan's underground cryogenic plan in the kamioka mines? It's really cool (pardon the pun), and of course eLISA too and the second event you mention, GW151226 has a lower total SNR than 150914, with two lower mass black holes. And of course the date thing. otherwise a really nice video!

[@domainofscience]

Hey thanks Brynley, excellent points, I'll be sure to add them to the errata in the description. And yeah I didn't have the time to add in the other two detectors. eLISA especially is so exciting, I remember the original LISA project was supposed to launch in 2012, but then it kept getting it's funding reduced, I'm hoping that this discovery gives more impetus i.e. cash to the project. Cheers dude!

[@BrynleyPearlstone]

DominicWalliman for eLISA, 2016 was a good year. the Lisa pathfinder mission did its thing, testing tech for the main mission and it absolutely exceeded expectations. As a result, the ESA has upped the missions priority. looking to launch in about 10 years now!

[@vikaspb9868]

Few days ago we had a guest lecture in our college about this LIGO and gravitational waves given by some guy who actually worked for it and was a professor at Caltech. But your explanation about this topic was way better than his.☺

[@PrawnzHD]

Amazing video, keep this up! :) your editing is becoming really great as well.

[@theeccentricwriter4657]

On the day they announced that they found them, I got so excited that I kept dancing around the room. My friends asked me what happened and when I told them, they were like 'meh'. They didn't know how impactful that was on the human race and its future. But I wore a smile all day. Also I'm gonna use gravitational waves in my novel, now that would be fun. Maybe I can explore and think about all things this discovery might lead us to.😂

[@soufianekharroubi8835]

Hey very nice video again :) I have a question concerning what you say at 0:58. You say it's 1.3 B LY away and that is happened 1.3 B years ago. But don't you need to take into account the expansion of the universe?

[@domainofscience]

Yes absolutely, I totally overlooked that so thanks for pointing it out. This evening I tried to figure out how long ago it actually happened and didn't quite manage because I think I need to know the expression for the acceleration of the Universe. But I think you can ball park the number from the redshift which was about 0.1 (journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102) This means that it was about 10% closer in time to us than 1.3 billion years, so about 1.18 billion years. I think this is right but let me know if you know any better :D

[@mysteriousiamjewishmysteri2373]

Domain of Science Empthiness is infinite Is this true click yes or no 😢come on i detected i love you for your videos .your my soupophra

[@vineethsarode6515]

great way of explaining with the help of your way of animation .... it helps me remember for a longer time

[@ricefrog]

Great job - I bet they're a lot more work but the animated videos are a *huge* step up in engagement for me as a viewer. Subscribed.

[@swagagain8651]

Very nice. You look like a sympathetic guy with very good voice. Plus that visualization. Just great job man. Keep continue with that. Thumbs up

[@swampwiz]

Just want to make a correction. The name of the town in Louisiana that has the LIGO detector is Livingston, without an 'e'. with the last syllable pronounced like "stun" not "stone". I know about this because during my homeless days after getting flooded out by Hurricane Katrina a bit down the Mississippi River - in the locale of where the British military had a very rough time in Jan, 1815 - I stayed in Livingston (anything out in the boonies in Livingston Parish is called "Livingston") for a few months. While I was staying there, Hurricane Gustave hit, but the water didn't get high enough to flood me, but in 2016 there was a massive rain event that did flood the area. I had moved to another town in Louisiana (when I finally bought a replacement home) in nearby Washington Parish, and it got hit with an earlier massive rain event also in 2016 , but since I was wise to buy on "high ground", I didn't flood. I studied engineering at Louisiana State University, and I remember a physics student in my freshmen dorm telling me about how LSU was big into the study of gravity waves; obviously, this led to nearby Livingston getting the LIGO facility. Otherwise, Livingston is about the furthest place culturally one could imagine from cutting-edge astrophysical research (think Duck Dynasty, LOL!)

[@bouicherkhadidja6159]

Thanks for the translation and the lessen you make the Einstein theory of relativity so easy for understand and very simple .respect form Algeria 🇩🇿

[@Avisheknandi12]

JUST WOW.....THE MOST INTERESTING THING I HAVE SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE WITH BEST POSSIBLE EXPLANATION.

[@modolief]

Absolutely a top notch production. Thank you, very well done.

[@Cranndaddy]

brilliant video - A level student in chemistry,biology and philosophy but have such an ongoing love for Physics , really appreciate these videos!

[@sakthigeek2458]

Great videos Dominic.I just found your channel and I already subscribed it.Some much valuable stuff covered in such short time with great illustrations..Simply my dream explanation videos.

[@cyber746]

Great video. Very well explained. I noticed two little mistakes (sorry to be a killjoy) : the beamsplitter should be turned 90 degrees. And the laser bounces back off the suspended mirrors that are "in" the arm of the interferometer.

[@hanijanzi3790]

this is really good. it's simple and clear and elegant. i really love your videos

[@anildave3716]

Very nicely explained. Keep it up. Keep posting more video. Thanks

[@yngve1993]

You should find a service that'll let you sell these posters, they are, as you videos are, amazing!

[@domainofscience]

Hey thanks! Yeah I sorted that out, I sell them on redbubble, the link is in the description if you are interested.

[@Lergurker]

This is amazing! A small Channel really worth supporting

[@djfwalker]

Brilliant, thanks very much and please keep it up !! And a happy new year !

[@RuleOfThum42]

The best explanation of gravitational waves to date!

[@yaminsiddiqui4690]

If the gravitational waves can bend and morph light..can't it bend and morph matter as well? If so, wouldn't the readings be off as the laser, building and the entire earth are 'bending' together? (How can you measure something that is changing with a scale that is changing exactly like it?)

[@yaminsiddiqui4690]

Amazing video though!

[@FelipeSadock]

Yamin Siddiqui watch veritasium's video about this subject he explains

[@newarnav]

watch veritasiums video as felipe suggested

[@RoboBoddicker]

Because the waves have a direction. And the LIGO detector is shaped like an L. So the wave distorts one arm of the L more than the other.

[@malchicken]

Great job, enjoying the videos. A request: please create a playlist for the early lecture series you posted on quantum annealers; these make it easy to watch the videos in a series in proper order. Thanks and again well done!

[@venkatkotti]

Great job again 👍 You are explaining these complex things in just few minutes. I have understood your efforts and time in making these videos. Please try to post one video a month. That will be really great stuff for us. Finally, as usual Fabulous Work 👌

[@jordanmims2013]

Thank you so much , this made me tear up a bit 😅 really appreciate this video.

[@naganathann3241]

Thanks sir for the basic definition in a crisp manner

[@rahul7270]

Learnt something new and amazing today. Dominic, I immensely admire your work. Watched your enlightening TEDx video a while ago and found your channel. The world needs more of excellent science communicators like you. Keep up the good work. :)

[@LennartLeuchtmann]

Thank you for putting the work into explaining these things to us. I have just discovered your profile and watched 3 video's. You are definitively in the league of exceptionally smart KZbinrs making science awesome again. I come directly from your Patreon page. As a student i was only able to make a symbolic donation - but i hope others will do that to so we can enjoy more of your video's. Thanks from Denmark!

[@riccardo1660]

Virgo is near Pisa in Italy but in the map is showed Trento. Great video anyway :)

[@DrJochenLeidner]

Thanks for the great videos, and also for being transparent about errors & for following up. Keep up the good work!

[@dack2103]

It's amazing how you manage to order the information, it's really useful, please keep doing this kind of videos they are a great help for understanding all sorts of things Thanks from Chile :)

[@ztransform1309]

These are amazing videos -- keep doing them! I love the animation style.

[@ecklar123]

Excellent video in addition to your Subject Mapping videos. Being able to visualize these otherwise complex ideas is a fantastic opportunity for the intellectually curious and for anyone approaching the subjects from an accessible perspective or for a first time introduction. Thank You!

[@oldrik22]

Man, that's incredible how you explained this. I was always amused by gravitational waves, but I never understood completly. Now I do, at least the basics and how it works and why it exist. Thanks and I hope you to make more videos like this.

[@soumakbanerjee2337]

I should express my sincere gratitude for explaining such a wonderful and astonishing simple way. It's pure happiness to watch your videos.

[@johanneskarlsson6535]

I've missed this channel. Already loving your stuff! Thanks

[@adriantimes]

Great video, very well explained, keep up the good work. We viewers appreciate it!!

[@guid391]

Such an amazing video, you deserve much more views

[@millythemuffin]

Hi Dominic, amazing video! love the animation style and the way you make some subjects like this comprehensible. I really love physics but I have trouble understanding them. Hope to see more of videos like this in the future :)

[@mounirbaroudi5890]

Best video on gravitational waves I've seen yet

[@jjgunt]

Really looking foward to your future videos! Really informative content just in a compact manner.

[@adityadua7899]

Amazing....So captivating, Good Work!!!

[@reristavi]

Keep making those videos. Very nice work. Thank you

[@josetomasfernandez2259]

you seem to put a lot of effort in your videos, keep it up!!!!

[@EagleTalonSystems]

Thank you so much for making these videos! I'm a visual leaner and you made some many things click that four years in college failed to connect. thank you, i've really enjoyed your maps.

[@thanosAIAS]

Just discovered your channel too, very awesome dude!!!

[@BJ-zd2or]

Thank you for telling us about Gravitational Waves :3 impressive insight

[@sptonlineclasses]

straight away subscribed...excellent way of explaining

[@HansBern1001]

Awesome videos Dominic! I really love the way you explain these things in combination with your animations! :)

[@V.D.22]

Amazing video! Very easy to understand. Thank you!

[@michalweskida5954]

Amazing content, keep up with the good work and I'm sure your channel will grow fast. Greetings from Poland.

[@AvinashtheIyerHaHaLOL]

Hello Sir, I just wanted to say that your explanations are very great and I would love to see many more of them.

[@eobias]

Pls make a video on special and general relativity, standard model! Love your channel and others like stated clearly and kurzgesagt :)

[@yuhgdhg2768]

Outstanding effort

[@runatn2537]

flawless , helpful and very Crystal Clear explanation

[@JorgeRUTube]

I loved this video, specially after yesterday's announcement about two neutron stars merging and generating an enormous amount of gravitational waves together with most forms of electromagnetic energy. After detecting the waves, the three laser interferometers that you mentioned were used to quickly map, as you explained, the space quadrant where the event took place. This information was passed to astronomers around the world, and in coordinated effort, all kinds of telescopes were soon pointing and gathering data on this epic event. You provided a great explanation of how this technology filled a gap, and how newly obtained data will bring us closer to the understanding of the universe. Thanks.

[@SnivillusLupin]

😍 I am listening to this at work, and the music was a big help in visualizing gravitational waves! The music also helped make this video cool 😎. Fantastic video, much appreciated!

[@Cello69.]

Dominic, you’re a story teller of these incredible discoveries for us less than genius minds. Thanks.

[@teddytablante]

This is a great video! Great animation and aesthetic.

[@drbonesshow1]

I wrote a song about this dedicated to a physicist I knew named Joseph Weber - who first tried to find these waves. May he RIP.

[@cjuanpavon]

Thank you very much Dominic, for spread the knowledge, just like the waves in spacetime. Video is very clear and awesome. Science is beautiful. I have suscribes to your channel. I hope the new video. Meanwhile, I'm gonna watch the rest of them. Regards

[@xplosiv026]

Brilliant, simple explanations. Subscribed

[@Deejaylal]

Wish I had found out of your videos earlier, they are amazing! Informative, entertaining, accurate and well made bros

[@dr_drw]

I'm so glad I found this channel! such great physics and amazing videography. I hope to continue learning from you!!

[@eduardopastor4248]

Greatest explanation Ive seen on the subject. How do you make those videos??? Need to make a video to explain something much easier and something like that would help me lots!! Greetings from Peru!

[@hiramcastillo3960]

Great content. Very important people like in the internet helping science spread

[@AyushBakshi]

Loved your videos (binge watching right now).

[@GB-ym2wc]

Great job on explanation and visuals. Can't wait to see more.

[@thisisjoyjacob]

Hey buddy, Your map are awesome. And I need you to make a similar video on ELECTRONICS domain - it's branches and sub branches till the atomic level of Electronics. And I also saw your Computer Science map video - that was much good.

[@krustenhund]

I like to think that this old wave will change the future not only by it's effects but also by the knowlege about it. maybe it made two physicists become a happy couple :)

[@violetdelilah3705]

Interesting video! I just subscribed and I love you channel.