{
  "id": 7523246,
  "title": "See how gravitational waves warp time and space",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/see-how-gravitational-waves-warp-time-and-space",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-15T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Scientific American",
    "slug": "scientific-american",
    "url": "https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-how-gravitational-waves-warp-time-and-space/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gravitational waves, first detected in 2015, have led to the discovery of nearly 400 undulations in the fabric of spacetime. A recent catalog released this year, encompassing findings from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the Virgo interferometer in Italy, and the Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) in Japan, highlights the most intense collisions ever witnessed. These include the heaviest black hole pair recorded, along with ripples from black holes spinning at approximately 40% the speed of light prior to their merger. Proposed by Albert Einstein in 1916 as a consequence of his general theory of relativity, these waves are discernible across millions, and sometimes billions of light-years due to the extreme warping of spacetime caused by massive body collisions like black holes and neutron stars. Researchers are employing gravitational waves to validate Einstein’s theory and potentially unveil inconsistencies that could indicate a more profound underlying theory. The pursuit of such deep scientific understanding necessitates human expertise, time, effort, and creativity, with financial support essential for maintaining the quality of science journalism. Subscribing to Scientific American not only sustains the work of dedicated staff and freelance journalists but also ensures the continued delivery of precise, accurate, and compelling stories about groundbreaking scientific discoveries.",
  "summary": "The latest gravitational-wave discoveries include record-breaking cataclysms",
  "key_points": [
    "Gravitational waves detected since 2015",
    "LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA catalog released this year",
    "Heaviest black hole pair and ultrafast spins observed"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}