Gravity Wave Detector Project

[Canuckster1127]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/27 ... _detector/

Interesting article on a gravity wave detector device which will run for 18 months and is seeking to provide hard evidence of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.

Does anyone see any implications in this in terms of Creationism or Intelligent Design?

[Felgar]

It's been said that the unification of seperate particle theories would be a revolutionary step forward for science and that this "Theory of Everything" would be able to account for our entire universe in a single construct. As it stands, gravitional particles (gravitons) are not currently explained within the "Standard Model" which does (sort of) explain the 3 other particle forces (electromagnetic/light, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force). If the gravity wave detector can provide insight into the nature of gravitons then it could be a first step toward a Theory of Everything.

A good summary can be found here: http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast123/lectures/lec07.html

I also seem to recall, on the basis of the predicitons made by string theory, the concept that gravitons may also not be confined to our 'reality' or physical world. If such is the case, then it may be possible to measure gravity waves from other realities thus proving their existance. I saw that concept on a PBS show titled "beyond einstein" or something like that...

Personally I think the whole 'alternate reality' concept is ludicrous and once tested will be shown to be false... But again, something like this device may be a step toward being able to measure and test some of these theories.

And in case anyone missed it, the appeal of the Theory of Everthing is that it should allow for accurate modelling and understanding of black holes and ultimately the state of the universe in the very first instant of time, right at the start of the Big Bang. (The more I think about it, the more the Big Bang makes sense to me as a natural result of God's spoken words "let there be light")

[BGoodForGoodSake]

I also seem to recall, on the basis of the predicitons made by string theory, the concept that gravitons may also not be confined to our 'reality' or physical world. If such is the case, then it may be possible to measure gravity waves from other realities thus proving their existance. I saw that concept on a PBS show titled "beyond einstein" or something like that...

You are confusing a whole lot of different topics here. Gravity waves are ripples in space time and detecting them will not validate the presence of gravitons. So this particular article does not address string theory, or any other theory of everything.

What it can do is validate Einsteins ideas of the nature of space-time.

However a possible application as a result of this is that once detected a larger more sensitive series of detectors may allow us to detect gravity waves which result from dark matter.

This may allow us to detect and confirm the existence of extra dimentions.

[Felgar]

I was making the assumption that in the same way light is both a wave and a particle, so too would a gravity wave also be both. So by being able to detect the waves, we can build upon to detect and study gravitons. Am I off-base here?

[BGoodForGoodSake]

I was making the assumption that in the same way light is both a wave and a particle, so too would a gravity wave also be both. So by being able to detect the waves, we can build upon to detect and study gravitons. Am I off-base here?

Those working on TOE would like to see this.

However, waves are disturbances which propogate through a medium. For example in water the waves are not actual particles but is energy passed from one water molecule to the next. Sound waves act in the same fashion with air molecules. Light was originally thought to propogate through a medium termed the ether, but this was proven to be incorrect.

Gravity waves in Einstein's model is a propogation of force through the medium of space/time. So the detection of gravity waves would not prove the existence of gravitons.

[Felgar]

Those working on TOE would like to see this.

That's all I was saying in my original post...