[slate]
We saw gravitational waves
and ordinary light from the same astrophysical event
for the very first time. We saw two neutron stars, extremely dense stars
rotating rapidly around one another radiating energy by gravitational
waves. Until finally they merge in a huge explosion. That explosion
provides jets moving at the speed of light producing a flash of gamma rays
and then later we saw optical and infarred emission that's telling us
where in the universe heavy metals such as gold and platinum are produced
[slate]
That's exactly what I'm saying. So the gold is
was produced in this enourmous explosion. The conditions
around these merging neutron stars have densities
and temperatures completely unlike anything we can do on Earth. This is where
gold is produced and then the explosion is driving those metals
out into the interstellar media. At some point later
new stars and planets will be formed and the gold on those
planets will have come from an explosion like this.
[slate]
We've seen explosions like this several hundred times per year. But this is the very first time
that we've seen gravitational waves from the same explosion.
So for the very first time that we've been able to conclusively say
two merging neutron stars are what powered this enourmous explosion.
And you always want to know what's producing the largest explosions that you know of in the universe.
[slate]
Gravitational waves are ripples in space time.
Space-time is extremely stiff, but if you have
that is extremely dense that has extremely high gravity like a neutron
star or a black hole. When those objects accelerate they cause
ripples in space-time to go through the universe to be
detected on Earth like the one that we did in last August.