Question

What is a simple explanation of gravitational waves?

Answer 1

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects, like when two black holes or neutron stars collide or orbit each other. Imagine throwing a stone into a calm pond; the ripples that spread out are similar to gravitational waves. These waves travel at the speed of light and can carry information about their origins, helping scientists learn about events in the universe that are otherwise difficult to observe. They were first directly detected in 2015 by the LIGO observatory, confirming a prediction made by Albert Einstein over a century ago.