One Of Einstein’s Theories Could Be About To Come True After A Century

Gravitational waves are weird ripples in space-time predicted by Einstein’s theories - but they have remained undetected for a century.

But this week, scientists could announce that they’ve been detected for the first time - as an experiment set up to detect the waves is rumoured to be on the verge of announcing a breakthrough.

If true, the find could offer a new ‘window on the universe’ - and help us understand strange objects such as black holes and the Big Bang itself.

An experiment called the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Ligo) will announce its findings on Thursday at 3.30PM GMT.

The researchers behind the LIGO experiment say, ‘100 years after Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, the National Science Foundation gathers scientists from Caltech, MIT and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration to update the scientific community on efforts to detect them.

'With interest in this topic piqued by the centennial, the group will discuss their ongoing efforts to observe gravitational waves.’

The LIGO project uses lasers to measure tiny changes in the length of a tunnel in an attempt to measure gravitational waves.

Einstein predicted that the waves would be produced in violent events such as collisions between black holes - and would stretch and compress space time as they travelled.

But the find has not yet been confirmed by scientists on the LIGO project - the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (Ligo).

Theoretical physicist Lawrence M Krauss said, ‘We would have a new window on the universe. Gravitational waves are generated in the most exotic, strange locations in nature, such as at the edge of black holes at the beginning of time.

‘We are pretty certain they exist, but we’ve not been able to use them to probe the universe.’