Pentcho Valev
2023-02-24 13:18:37 UTC
"But the greatest confirmation that the speed of gravity equals the speed of light comes from the 2017 observation of a kilonova: the inspiral and merger of two neutron stars. A spectacular example of multi-messenger astronomy, a gravitational wave signal arrived first, recorded in both the LIGO and Virgo detectors. Then, 1.7 seconds later, the first electromagnetic (light) signal arrived: the high-energy gamma rays from the explosive cataclysm...Of course, we think that these two speeds are exactly identical. The speed of gravity should equal the speed of light so long as both gravitational waves and photons have no rest mass associated with them. The 1.7 second delay is very likely explained by the fact that gravitational waves pass through matter unperturbed, while light interacts electromagnetically, potentially slowing it down as it passes through the medium of space by just the smallest amount." https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/07/06/ask-ethan-why-do-gravitational-waves-travel-exactly-at-the-speed-of-light/
Initially the Einsteinian meant this (perhaps):
"Gravitational waves pass through matter unperturbed, while light IS BLOCKED OR DEFLECTED BY MATTER."
Then he saw the danger and replaced "IS BLOCKED OR DEFLECTED BY MATTER" with the following word salad:
"Gravitational waves pass through matter unperturbed, while light interacts electromagnetically, potentially slowing it down as it passes through the medium of space by just the smallest amount."
See more here: https://twitter.com/pentcho_valev
Pentcho Valev
Initially the Einsteinian meant this (perhaps):
"Gravitational waves pass through matter unperturbed, while light IS BLOCKED OR DEFLECTED BY MATTER."
Then he saw the danger and replaced "IS BLOCKED OR DEFLECTED BY MATTER" with the following word salad:
"Gravitational waves pass through matter unperturbed, while light interacts electromagnetically, potentially slowing it down as it passes through the medium of space by just the smallest amount."
See more here: https://twitter.com/pentcho_valev
Pentcho Valev