Gravitational waves permanently change spacetime, say astroboffins

A team of physicists has proposed a new idea about gravitational waves that will allow other researchers to find more exotic objects in space. Gravitational waves, which were predicted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, were finally detected in September 2015. These waves are produced as objects in space accelerate …

[Chemist]

"the Australian Research Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery,"

That's a hell of a title for any institute !

[Irving Lypshytz]

You can only be a "Centre of Excellence" ...

... if someone else calls you that ...

[Mark 85]

Re: You can only be a "Centre of Excellence" ...

Yep. I've worked in two companies that played the same game for their departments... "Center for IT

Excellence", "Center for Marketing Excellence", and "Center for Janitorial Excellence" among the mess. Fortunately, the "Excellence" was dropped as some (many?) employees and customers found the title to be a tad over the top in the BS department.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: You can only be a "Centre of Excellence" ...

"Centre of Excellence" is just Newspeak for "Institute".

In the olden days, it would simply have been "ARID Gravwy" *)

(Austrylian Research Institute for Discovery of Gravitoitional Wyves)

No worries, though.

*) with a bit more work, might we make it to VEGEMITE?

[breakfast]

Re: You can only be a "Centre of Excellence" ...

We can go one better: "Majestic Australian Ray Mass Institute of Technical Excellence"

Yes, I went there.

[CentralCoasty]

"Australian Research Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery"......... so does that mean there is also an Australia Research Centre for Gravitational Wave Discovery?

[Michael Thibault]

"... so does that mean there is also an Australia Research Centre for Gravitational Wave Discovery?"

Or does that mean that they renamed it some time after it opened? Hope so. Having two 'gravitational wave research centres' would have confused those in the Redundancy Department of Redundancies.

[handleoclast]

Two research centres

Having two 'gravitational wave research centres' would have confused those in the Redundancy Department of Redundancies.

Actually, you need two research centres. Set at right angles. With a research splitter between them. And the mirrors at the ends. That's how interferometry works.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Re: Two research centres

I bet the guys at the "Australian Research Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery" are making fun of the guys at the "Australian Centre for Discovering Gravitational Waves for Researchers Who Aren't That Good At It and Want to Do Other Stuff Good Too" all the time.

[breakfast]

The name can be improved upon, however: The Australian Research Society of Excellence, Gravity Rays And Bosons or something along those lines.

[DropBear]

"The name can be improved upon, however"

...oooh, sneaky...

[Number6]

So was it gravity waves that caused the sinkhole right outside Trump's Florida golf resort today?

[Mark 85]

Depends.. was there a loud voice from the heavens saying "Damn... missed him again."?

[Johnny Canuck]

So,

like a skid mark in space-time?

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Re: So,

Hmm. I read it as meaning that the aether is thixotropic . You never know... dark matter (or maybe dark aether) may end up being anti-thixotropic, solving lots of conundra.

<aside>Igor, pass me my ergometer!</aside>

[Sykowasp]

Re: So,

More like a stretch mark.

[John Smith 19]

Astonishing. I think.

Sort of like building a seismometer that operates at 0.1Hz and then making it operate at voice frequencies.

If I understand correctly.

[Herby]

Catch a wave....

And you are sitting on top of the world!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Anonymous Coward]

Stretch marks are normal

Common when birthing stars and galaxies.

[Sanguma]

stretching effects on quantum foam? Eddy's in the Space-Time Continuum?

First question that popped into my head, honest. But since the quantum foam seems to be a Planck-sized part of the continuum, it seemed a fair question. If space stretches, there should be more quantum foam.

[hplasm]

Re: stretching effects on quantum foam? Eddy's in the Space-Time Continuum?

Less Quantum Foam- more Quantum Beer!

[Bert 1]

Re: stretching effects on quantum foam? Eddy's in the Space-Time Continuum?

And this is his sofa, is it?

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Re: stretching effects on quantum foam? Eddy's in the Space-Time Continuum?

Can I use this quantum foam to upholster my Chesterfield?

[Kernel]

Re: stretching effects on quantum foam? Eddy's in the Space-Time Continuum?

"Can I use this quantum foam to upholster my Chesterfield?"

Only if you're going to sit on it while watching a cricket match, preferably one that's part of an Ashes test series..

[Anonymous Coward]

Perhaps this is the 'dark energy' that causes inflation?

Back when the universe was young, there was a far greater concentration of mass, which would lead to more 'gravitational waves per cubic light year' than we have today.

The problem with this theory is that it would account for a lot of inflation early, which we observed, which slowed as the universe aged and the average density of the universe decreased, which we observed, but not the 'expansion is accelerating' observation from last week's astroboffin article. Well unless the effect is somehow cumulative, like how repeatedly stroking a cat in winter builds up more and more static electricity in its fur, until it gets annoyed and runs away.

[The Jon]

“orphan memory”

So, is this like homoeopathy, but on a universal scale?

[Alien8n]

Re: “orphan memory”

More like Batman...

[Stratman]

Re: “orphan memory”

I was going to post the same thing but as ever, too slow.

Just reading the article and ignoring specific references to gravitation, it really does sound like an apologist for homeopathy desperately trying to convince the world he's a real doctor.

[Mike Moyle]

Re: “orphan memory”

That was actually my first thought: "How long before the Loony Liberation Front jumps on this to 'explain' how homeopathy 'works'?".

[Brewster's Angle Grinder]

Preprint!

_{It's like the days of Lucy Sheriff all over again. :roll:}

[Norman123]

What is space made of if it can record/preserve memory of events? Memory stick or vinyl? ;))

[DropBear]

No idea, but "my record player has multi-kilometre interferometer arms and the platter is the size of a planet" definitely carries an enviable amount of hipster cred...

[Bucky 2]

They did this on ST:TNG. The episode was called "Force of Nature." It was the one where they found out that warp drive damages space.

Or it could just be tire tracks, I guess. But I'm still hoping for subspace rift.