Gravitational waves – incredible measurement sensitivities and fascinating insights

In 2016, researchers succeeded for the first time in directly detecting gravitational waves. These waves were a distortion of space-time caused by the collision of two black holes around 1.3 billion years ago. Albert Einstein had already predicted the existence of such waves in his theory of relativity back in 1916, but until 2016 they could only be observed indirectly. The detection was made possible by achieving measurement sensitivities that were orders of magnitude smaller than the diameter of a proton, enabling the measurement of minute changes in space-time. This direct observation confirmed Einstein’s theory and opened a new window onto the exploration of the universe, as gravitational waves provide us with information about cosmic events that are difficult to detect using light alone.

This discovery marked the beginning of gravitational-wave astronomy and led to the award of the Nobel Prize, as it laid the foundation for new insights into extreme cosmic phenomena, such as the mergers of black holes and neutron stars.

Here at the Institute of Applied Physics at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, we are working to help shape the next generation of gravitational-wave telescopes using state-of-the-art micro- and nanotechnology. As a partner in the Einstein Telescope project, which is currently being developed by scientists from across Europe, we are researching new methods for stabilising lasers and improving mirror reflectivity in the telescopes.

We invite you to discover the exciting world of gravitational waves together with our researchers. You can carry out your own experiments using an interactive interferometer and gain an understanding of the fundamental principles of physics. Learn how gravitational waves are generated and measured, and what technologies we are developing for this purpose. Do come along – we look forward to seeing you!