Gravitational waves: the “3rd great discovery of the century in science” – TVI24

The physical Carlos Fiolhais considers that the discovery of gravitational waves provided by Albert Einstein is “the third great discovery of the century in science.” A step that opens a new window for observing the Universe.

“After the sequencing of the human genome, early in the century [2003] after the discovery of the Higgs particle [2012], this is the third great discovery of the century in science, “ said in a statement to Lusa.

for the professor at the University of Coimbra, it is the “confirmation of a brilliant theoretical prediction”, the “stone that was missing to complete the beautiful building of the General Theory of Relativity,” Albert Einstein (1879-1955).

the detection of the waves gravitational, postulated a hundred years ago by the German physicist’s theory of gravitation, which explains the origin of gravity, it was announced Thursday the world by an international team of researchers, after successfully completed an experiment . several years in the United States

Carlos Fiolhais stresses that the discovery of these waves – the gravitational field disturbances, when a large body shakes. – opens another window for observing the Universe

“There is another way to see the space” beyond the light that the heavenly bodies emit, he said, noting that you can see “the cosmic shocks that leave marks not only light, but also gravitational waves,” as well as study, otherwise the galaxies, black holes.

Justifying the difficulty of confirmation of gravitational waves, the physical Portuguese said that these “are weaker, fainter than electromagnetic waves.”

Although “propagate at the speed of light, they have common properties to the light”, gravitational waves are “much weaker than the light” and therefore are more difficult to catch, pointed Lusa.

However, there are issues still to be clarified, such as whether the gravitational waves “have minimal power packs”, the gravitons.

“physicists hope that there gravitons” he said, adding that, in parallel, the electromagnetic waves, captured for example by mobile phone antennas, radio and television, the “minimum power packs” are photons.

the teacher caveat, however, that , unlike electromagnetic waves (generated by a combination of electric and magnetic fields), “it is unlikely” that gravitational waves “have practical applications in everyday life.”

“the signal is very weak, the issuer has to be very strong and must be in space. We can produce electromagnetic waves, but waves do not gravitational “, held Lusa, noting that these waves are the result of a cosmic cataclysm, as the collision of two black holes.