Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime. The phenomenon can be compared to ripples on a sheet when a heavy ball is placed on it and spun around. In the universe, these "balls" are massive objects such as black holes and neutron stars, which vibrate spacetime as they orbit and eventually merge. These gravitational waves are emitted through space and, although very subtle, can be detected on Earth with the correct equipment. Since the first successful detection of a gravitational wave in 2015, almost a century after Einstein’s theoretical prediction, about 100 such events have been observed around the world. ...
