Historical events timeline.
Albert Michelson and Edward Morley conduct an interferometry experiment to detect the luminiferous aether, establishing the foundations of precision interferometry. #physics #experiment
Albert Einstein presents the theory of general relativity, predicting the existence of gravitational waves as ripples in spacetime. #relativity #physics
Einstein and Nathan Rosen publish a paper suggesting that gravitational waves might not be physical, later retracted. #physics #controversy
At the Chapel Hill conference, physicists like Richard Feynman and John Wheeler argue that gravitational waves carry energy and are physical. #physics #milestone
Hermann Bondi develops a plane wave solution for gravitational waves, clarifying their physical nature. #physics #theory
Joseph Weber at the University of Maryland constructs the first resonant bar detector for gravitational waves, initiating experimental searches. #experiment #pioneer
Mikhail Gertsenshtein and V. Pustovoit publish the concept of using a laser interferometer to detect gravitational waves. #interferometry #physics
Robert Forward proposes a laser interferometer design for gravitational wave detection, advancing the concept. #interferometry #invention
Joseph Weber announces detection of coincident signals from his bar detectors, but the claims are later discredited by lack of reproducibility. #controversy #experiment
Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor discover the binary pulsar PSR B1913+16, providing indirect evidence for gravitational waves through orbital decay. #astronomy #physics
Robert Forward builds a 10-meter prototype laser interferometer at Hughes Research Labs, pioneering large interferometry. #interferometry #prototype
Rainer Weiss at MIT produces a detailed design for a kilometer-scale laser interferometer, forming the basis for LIGO. #LIGO #physics
European scientists initiate the Virgo project, a French-Italian collaboration to build a large interferometer in Italy. #Virgo #Europe
German and British researchers form the GEO600 collaboration to build a 600-meter interferometer in Germany. #GEO600 #Europe
Caltech and MIT receive approval to design and build the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). #LIGO #milestone
The U.S. National Science Board approves funding for LIGO construction in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. #LIGO #funding
Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor win the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of the binary pulsar and indirect confirmation of gravitational waves. #Nobel #physics
Japan's TAMA300 interferometer starts operations with a 300-meter arm length, contributing early data and technology development. #Japan #interferometry
The two LIGO detectors are completed and dedicated, beginning initial science runs with lower sensitivity. #LIGO #construction
LIGO completes its first science run (S1) from 2002 to 2003, setting upper limits on gravitational wave strength. #LIGO #science
The Virgo interferometer in Italy begins commissioning, with full operations starting in 2007. #Virgo #Europe
Virgo starts scientific observations and collaborates with LIGO for joint data analysis, forming a global network. #Virgo #LIGO
The U.S. National Science Foundation approves funding for Advanced LIGO, a major upgrade to increase sensitivity tenfold. #LIGO #upgrade
Initial LIGO ends its last science run (S6) and begins a five-year transformation to Advanced LIGO. #LIGO #transition
Japan's KAGRA project, a cryogenic underground interferometer, receives approval for construction in Kamioka. #KAGRA #Japan
Advanced LIGO detects GW150914, the first direct observation of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger, confirming a key prediction of general relativity. #gravitationalwaves #discovery
LIGO and Virgo collaborations publicly announce the first direct detection of gravitational waves, ushering in a new era of astronomy. #LIGO #announcement
LIGO detects a second gravitational wave signal from a binary black hole merger with smaller masses, further confirming the population. #gravitationalwaves #detection
LIGO detects GW170104, a binary black hole merger with significant spin, adding to the catalog of compact object mergers. #gravitationalwaves #astronomy
LIGO and Virgo detect GW170817 from a binary neutron star merger, followed by electromagnetic counterparts across the spectrum, marking the dawn of multimessenger astronomy. #multimessenger #neutronstars
Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish, and Kip Thorne receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves. #Nobel #LIGO
Japan's KAGRA detector is completed, becoming the world's first underground cryogenic gravitational wave observatory. #KAGRA #Japan
KAGRA detects its first gravitational wave candidate during the O3 run, though not officially confirmed as a standalone detection. #KAGRA #detection
The North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) reports evidence of a stochastic gravitational wave background using pulsar timing arrays. #pulsars #astronomy
The Indian government approves the LIGO-India project, a third LIGO detector to be built in Maharashtra, expanding the global network. #India #LIGO
NANOGrav and other pulsar timing array collaborations announce the first strong evidence of a nanohertz gravitational wave background, likely from supermassive black hole binaries. #gravitationalwaves #discovery
LISA Pathfinder, a technology demonstrator for the space-based LISA mission, proves the required precision for future space-based gravitational wave detection. #LISA #space
The Einstein Telescope, a proposed third-generation underground observatory in Europe, advances to detailed design phase. #EinsteinTelescope #future
ESA approves the LISA mission for construction, targeting launch in the 2030s to observe gravitational waves from space. #LISA #future
