What's happening?

In a galaxy far, far away, there are two black holesA region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape from it, including particles and radiation. . They are very big and very heavy. They are also very close together.

One day, the black holes start to move towards each other. They get closer and closer until they finally touch. When they touch, they make a wave and this wave has a noise. A hum.

The noise is caused by the gravitational waves that are created when the black holes merge. Gravitational waves are ripples in space and time. They are invisible, but they can be detected by scientists.

The scientists who detected the noise from the black holes are very excited. They say that this is the first time that anyone has ever heard gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes.

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This discovery is important because it confirms Albert Einstein's theory of general relativityA theory that was developed by Albert Einstein between 1907 and 1915, which explains gravity and the effect of objects on one another. According to general relativity, the observed gravitational effect between masses results from their warping of spacetime.. Einstein said that gravitational waves existed, but this is the first time that they have been directly detected.

The discovery also shows that we are all connected to the universe in a very real way. The noise from the black holes can be heard billions of light-years away, which means that it is affecting us even though we can't see it.

So, next time you look up at the stars, remember that there are amazing things happening out there that you can't even see. And who knows, maybe one day you'll be the one to make a new discovery about the universe!

Yes! What happens in space is really important. In the future, we might even live in space.

No! There are far more important things, like the economy or our relationships with the people around us.