After a three-year hiatus due to pandemic challenges, the search for gravitational waves has resumed. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has two massive detectors in Washington and Louisiana, which now have improved sensitivity after a multimillion-dollar upgrade. The improvements should allow the facility to pick up signals from colliding black holes every two to three days. The detection of such waves enables astrophysicists to learn more about how black holes form and spin, putting Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity to the test. Although technical issues have led to delays at one facility, the plan is to continue to develop next-generation observatories.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01732-4