Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity. However, it wasn't until 2015 that scientists detected them directly.
Gravitational waves carry information about their origins and about the nature of gravity that cannot be obtained otherwise. Researchers can use gravitational-wave observations to learn about systems such as binary black holes, neutron star collisions, and more! They are a novel method for observing the universe's dynamics.
Catch the latest on gravitational waves at LIGO's Official Site or check the latest research papers at arXiv.