For the first time, astronomers have been able to hear the "chorus" of gravitational waves pulsing through the universe.
2
Cosmic ripples
The strongest gravitational waves are produced by large-scale events like merging black holes, colliding neutron stars, or supernovae, explosions of dying stars.
3
Signals
These signals are hard to detect because they are faint. Finally, after 15 years of data collection, astronomers have heard the "low hum" of these cosmic ripples.
4
Detection
The newly-detected gravitational waves were investigated using the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav).
5
Origin
The detected gravitational waves are the most powerful ever measured, likely generated by supermassive black holes heading to collide with each other.