Exploring the Universe: Black Holes, Einstein & Gravitational Waves

I've been fascinated by astronomy, astrophysics, and everything related to space since I was a kid. Although I have to admit, the older I get, the less I seem to understand about how the universe actually works!

So I've decided to start attending Stanford's public lectures to find out what scientists have managed to figure out about the cosmos so far.
And this time, we're talking about black holes, Einstein, and gravitational waves!
Imagine two black holes colliding more than a billion light-years away. Their collision sends ripples through the fabric of spacetime, traveling across the universe until they reach Earth.
But here's the incredible part: by the time those waves reach us, they're so tiny that detecting them requires some of the most sensitive instruments ever built.
How on Earth do scientists measure something so unimaginably small?
In this fascinating public lecture, Dr. Alexandra Mitchell, an experimental physicist at Stanford University, will explain how scientists turned Einstein's century-old prediction into one of the greatest experimental achievements in modern physics.
We'll learn:
✨ How scientists detect gravitational waves from colliding black holes.
✨ Why even the tiniest vibrations on Earth can interfere with these measurements.
✨ What LIGO's discoveries have already revealed about our universe.
✨ And what scientists hope to discover next.
Dr. Mitchell works on improving the extraordinary instruments that make these discoveries possible, and she's passionate about making complex science accessible to everyone.
No physics degree required — just curiosity!
Join me on this journey through the universe. We may not understand everything, but at least we can get confused together — and hopefully a little smarter along the way! 😉
🎟️ Registration is required:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/public-lecture-gravitational-wave-detection-registration-2003171678414
For those who prefer to attend online, the livestream link will be included in your Eventbrite registration confirmation email.