Gravitational-Wave Astronomy. Exploring the Dark Universe: 2021 Balzan Prizewinner
Buonanno Alessandra
Synopsis "Gravitational-Wave Astronomy. Exploring the Dark Universe: 2021 Balzan Prizewinner"
Alessandra Buonanno's lecture, Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: Exploring the Dark Universe, delves into the groundbreaking field of gravitational-wave astronomy. It explores the generation, detection, and significance of gravitational waves, focusing on their role in understanding compact objects like black holes and neutron stars. The lecture highlights key discoveries, such as the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015, and discusses the technological advancements of detectors like LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA. Buonanno also examines the implications for astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics, while addressing future prospects with next-generation observatories like the Einstein Telescope and LISA. This work represents a transformative step in exploring the universe's hidden phenomena.