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A Galaxy-Sized Observatory For Gravitational Waves
KentuckyFC writes "Gravitational waves squash and stretch space as they travel through the universe. Current attempts to spot them involve monitoring a region of space several kilometers across on Earth for the telltale signs of this squeezing. These experiments have so far seen nothing. But by monitoring an array of pulsars throughout the galaxy, astronomers should be able to see the effects of gravitational waves passing by. They say such an array of pulsars should effectively shimmer as the gravitational waves wash over it, like a grid of buoys bobbing on the ocean. That'll create an observatory that is effectively the size of the entire galaxy. These observations should be capable of monitoring how galaxies and supermassive black holes evolve together, and shed light on the physics of the early universe. Best of all, the next generation of radio-telescope arrays should be capable of making these observations at a cost of around $66 million over ten years. That's a small fraction of the hundreds of millions that Earth-based observatories have already cost."
A human landing on mars gives us pretty pictures and a bunch of cozy, warm feelings.
Understanding fundamental physics (and mathematics) gave us the computer age along with keeping Moore's "law" working for the past 40 years. What did physics ever give to you? Pretty much every major engineering invention since 1950 depends on it in some way or other.
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Since when does everything science accomplish have to have immediate material benefit to humanity? Science is the advancement of Homo sapien knowledge about the universe. If you're going to complain about spending money complain about throwing trillions of dollars at the people who brought down the economy. Some people need to grow up.
What do you mean finding absolutely nothing?
Judging by his links to thunderbolts.info, what I think he means is "I'm a crazy idiot who doesn't understand anything, and think this is a sound foundation to question the work of scientists everywhere. Solar wind is caused by an electric field! What do you mean it's a plasma with equal amounts of positive and negative charges, and a field can't move opposite charges in the same direction? No really, I have no idea what you're talking about because I never too physics in school! But my theories are right anyway!"
The enemies of Democracy are
Exactly. So, why should we be spending money that we don't have?
Finding gravitational waves isn't going to help 99.99% of the population.
How about you look at this this way instead:
There is a lot of money going around to try to help a flailing economy. Why should that money go ONLY to those who have been bad at their business? Automakers that don't make the right cars? Banks that don't have solid lending strategies? Why NOT give some of that money that's all going to the same economy to scientists who quietly go about their business and get things done?
Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
Personally, I don't believe in something like gravitational waves
Science: You're doing it wrong.