Malaysian among scientists who proved Einstein’s gravitational waves theory

Kelantan-born Hafizah Noor Isa (pic) is among a group of international scientists who have confirmed Albert Einstein's gravitational waves theory, The Star reported. The student and researcher at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) had contributed to the paper "Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger" which proves the detection of gravitational waves and the merging of two black holes into one. The findings have been hailed by the scientific community as a decades-long quest" for what some have called "the holy grail of science", the paper reported. Hafizah, who is also a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow and a member of the Institute for Gravitational Research there, had been involved in the project under the US-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Her involvement came by way of her work in the worldwide network of gravitational wave detectors, or GEO600 experiment. Scientists have until now not been able to prove or detect gravitational waves in space, which Einstein had theorised on as transporters of energy. In another report on the February 11 announcement by the scientists, The Washington Post said the discovery has now opened a "new window" for astronomy which so far has relied on light to measure and study the universe. The Post said some US$1.1 billion (RM4.63 billion) have been spent on LIGO over several decades and the scientific paper which Hafizah had contributed to a total of 1,004 individual names, making it a worldwide collaboration in science. LIGO detected vibrations from gravitational waves passing through earth and converted them into audio waves. – February 18, 2016.]]>