Measuring ripples in the curvature of space-time

Measuring ripples in the curvature of space-time



Experimental physicist Sheila Rowan works with laser beams and suspended mirrors to sharpen the detection of collapsing stars and other celestial events. “Here, in my laboratory at the University of Glasgow, UK, I’m reflected in a mirror attached to glass fibres,” she says. “By measuring how laser light at two different frequencies reflects off the interface between the mirror and the glass, just as my image does off the mirror, we can work out the thickness of the bond and other properties that are important for designing optical systems.” (Nature | 3 min read) (Kieran Dodds for Nature)