How Things Work: A Brief History of Reality
BOOK II: The Power of Three – #73. "Gravitational Waves"
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Tuesday, March 7, 2023
“…gravitational waves are fundamentally different… it isn’t a ripple through objects in spacetime; it passes through spacetime itself… Gravitational waves make the universe itself vibrate.”
― Brian Clegg (Gravitational Waves: How Einstein’s spacetime ripples reveal the secrets of the universe)
PREFACE
Welcome Everybody!
Despite Einstein’s own reservations regarding the “empirical validity” of the Gravitational Waves predicted by his own General Theory of Relativity, their empirical validity was confirmed by modern scientists on February 11, 2016. An article in American Scientist entitled “The Secret History of Gravitational Waves” opens with the following:
“On February 11, 2016, ecstatic scientists worldwide basked in the announcement that the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) had detected gravitational waves produced by the merger of two black holes more than a billion light years from Earth. Many members of the cosmological community had waited, literally, most of their lives to hear that announcement. At least one has confessed that his eyes welled with tears”.
Tony Rothman – The Secret History of Gravitational Waves (American Scientist 2021)
The article goes on to report that since this breakthrough, many additional observations have been reported. One includes a 2017 event which recorded the gravitational waves resulting from the collision of two neutron stars: leading to a 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for the leaders of the project. (Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish, and Kip S. Thorne)
“Gravitational Waves Have Now Been Verified by Modern Science.”
Like many of the “strange predictions” resulting from Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, Gravitational Waves have now been verified by modern science. However, the consequences of this new “reality” are just now beginning to be considered.
CONSIDERATION #73 – Gravitational Waves
Gravitational waves are basically “ripples” in space-time resulting from the most violent possibility in the universe: the collision of two black holes.
“These gravitational waves ripple through space-time at the speed of light carrying information about their origins, as well as clues to the emergence of gravity itself.”
The math in General Relativity demonstrated that the strongest gravitational waves in the universe were the result of extremely cataclysmic events such as exploding supernovas, colliding black holes, and possibly even the remnants of gravitational radiation created by the original Big Bang. These gravitational waves ripple through space-time at the speed of light carrying information about their origins, as well as clues to the emergence of gravity itself.
Although these ripples originated from extremely violent conditions, by the time they reach the earth they are thousands of billions of times smaller. Even though gravitational waves were predicted by Special and General Relativity, Einstein had serious doubts about the reality of these cosmic ripples.
”Furthermore, Einstein himself did not immediately arrive at a definitive result. After completing his general theory of relativity in 1916, he initially dismissed the idea of gravitational waves, and his first paper dedicated to the subject got the description very wrong. Einstein soon hit on the correct formulation, but two decades later he rejected the physical reality of gravitational waves, and he remained skeptical about them for the rest of his life.”
Tony Rothman – The Secret History of Gravitational Waves (American Scientist 2021)
On February 11, 2016, scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) announced that they had detected gravitational waves caused by a collision of two black holes more than a million light years away.
POSTSCRIPT
One of the possible consequences resulting from the recently confirmed gravitational waves is related to their influence on the “memory” of space-time. In an article entitled, “The Universe Remembers Gravitational Waves – And We Can Find Them,” Paul Sutter reports:
“With facilities like the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo, we can now detect the strongest of those ripples as they wash over the Earth. But gravitational waves leave behind a memory — a permanent bend in space-time — as they pass through, and we are now on the verge of being able to detect that too, allowing us to push our understanding of gravity to the limits.”
Paul Sutter – The Universe Remembers Gravitational Waves – And We Can Find Them
Sutter explains that, essentially, gravity is affected by any movement, and any movement is also affected by gravity. Thus, setting up an infinite loop of “gravitational memory” throughout the universe. Making space and time more relative than even Einstein had thought; with gravity essentially keeping space-time in a state of “constant relativity.”
“Even you. Right now, you are being gently squeezed and stretched by gravitational waves from violent events billions of light-years away.
You might think that the event is over once the wave passes, like a breaker crashing onto you at the beach and washing onto the shore. But gravity is a tricky thing, and gravitational waves are trickier still.
Almost any kind of movement triggers the generation of a gravitational wave, from black holes smashing into each other to you waving your hand around. And even gravitational waves themselves.
As gravitational waves ripple through space-time, they become a source of new gravitational waves, which become a source of new gravitational waves, which become a source of new gravitational waves, and so on. Each new generation of waves is weaker than the last, but the effect builds up into what scientists call a space-time "memory" — a permanent distortion of space-time left in the wake of a passing gravitational wave.
In other words, when gravitational waves wash over you, you don't just stretch and squeeze temporarily. When all is said and done, you are left permanently stretched.”
Paul Sutter – The Universe Remembers Gravitational Waves – And We Can Find Them
To appreciate the full impact of this possible effect it is important to consider that the Gravitational Waves crashing onto you and the fabric of space-time are compounding at a “quantum” or “infinite” level of possibility.
Ironically, the more we verify the empirical consequences resulting from Einstein’s model of Reality the more they challenge our empirical understanding of the universe, and How Things Work.
Next week we will consider Einstein’s legacy and his influence on the new Quantum Model of Reality.
Expand the Conversation by Upgrading to “Reality by a Thread!”
Excerpt from Tomorrow’s Untangling the Knots of Reality – Podcast #38: "Untangling the Purpose of Government"
This Week on “The Thread”…
•Untangling the Knots of Reality Podcast: #38 "Untangling the Purpose of Government " (“The truth is that “everything” we think of as a “natural” part of “our” reality has its roots in past assumptions. Each of these “past assumptions” has led to “new assumptions.” It is this long chain of “causal assumptions” that has led us to our current perception, or assumption, of reality. If this natural chain of causality is broken, or severed, we lose the connections to our own current perception and understanding of reality. Which also means we have lost the connections to the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom, gained from those past connections…” )
•Reality by a Thread Discussion Thread: Previewing the New Online Video Course: (“I am using my experience as a Special Education teacher to utilize this online technology in a way that is inviting for audio, visual, and verbal learners, in addition to incorporating factors helpful for common learning challenges such as ADD, ADHD, and Visual Processing issues such as Dyslexia. All lessons include audio, video, and textual content designed to help make this extremely difficult subject more easily accessible to more people. This is not a video “talking head” approach to the subject. All audio, visual, and textual elements are specifically designed to “work together” in communicating the essential ideas in the most efficient manner possible...”)
•FREE PDF Download of Book IV: “The Cosmic Symphony – Overtones of String Theory” plus other Free Books, Discounts and Benefits.
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Book IV – The Cosmic Symphony – Overtones of String Theory
The Essential Physics & Metaphysics of Sound, Music, and String Theory
Pythagoras’ discovery that music was a mathematical expression of reality would forever change the world of music, philosophy, science and religion. Pythagoras called this Cosmic Symphony of Abstract Perfection “The Music of the Spheres.”
• What is the "Music of the Spheres?"
• How did the Music of the Spheres Evolve into String Theory?
• How did Pythagoras Change our Perception of Reality?
• What did Pythagoras Discover About the Science of Sound and Music?
• What are the Mathematical Metaphysics Behind the Structure of Western Music?
• What is the "Mozart Effect" and is it Real?
• What is the Numerical Mysticism underlying the Mathematical Relationships of Sound, Astrology & Music?
• What is String Theory and What does it Mean? Is Everything Really Composed of Extremely Small Vibrating Strings of Energy?
• Is Reality Ultimately a Cosmic Symphony Eternally Resonating the "Mind of God?"