This is really good news. A whole new way to observe the universe has opened up, and there's no predicting what we might see one day.
For example - we can't see the big bang using light, because the universe was opaque to light for quite a long time. But it wasn't opaque to gratitational radiation.
We know about the big bang, because we can see the cosmic microwave radiation. And we can see that, because we can see microwaves. But before 1940, we couldn't. The ability to see that part of the electromagnetic specrum opened up radio astromomy, and revolutionised cosmology.
Being able to see gravity waves, is like opening up a whole new spectrum to see by.
Practical applications? Faster than light travel? Free energy? Cures for cancer! I am still struggling here because the forces involved are so enormous I cannot see how they can ever be harnessed.
ReplyDeleteThey said the same about electricity.
ReplyDeletehttp://speakingofresearch.com/2012/03/23/of-what-use/
The answer is, we don't know what the practical uses might be. But it usually turns out that there are some.