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Chinese scientists Liu Kuo and Chen Siyuan win award for detecting nanohertz gravitational waves, a 25-year effort with 6 radio telescopes, 3 sigma signal
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Award | Royal Astronomical Society group achievement award |
| Signal significance | 3 sigma |
| Observation period | 25 years |
| Number of radio telescopes | 6 |
The award-winning research by Liu Kuo and Chen Siyuan from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) involved analyzing and releasing a major pulsar timing data set in 2023, which was built on 25 years of observations from six of the world's most sensitive radio telescopes [2]. The data, measured to within a billionth of a second, was used to search for a faint, collective signal from pairs of distant supermassive black holes. Chen's team successfully identified a signal with a statistical significance of about three sigma, meaning it was unlikely to be noise.
The detection of nanohertz gravitational waves is a significant achievement, as it could provide insights into the universe's most massive objects, such as supermassive black holes [1]. Black holes are regions in space where an enormous amount of mass is packed into a tiny volume, creating a gravitational pull so strong that not even light can escape. The research by Darling and the Chinese scientist duo could help unlock the secrets of these mysterious objects and the universe as a whole.
The search for ripples in space and time is an ongoing effort, with scientists using new and innovative methods to detect and measure gravitational waves. The award-winning research by Liu Kuo and Chen Siyuan, as well as the new approach by Jeremy Darling, demonstrates the progress being made in this field and the potential for future discoveries. The real significance of this research lies in its potential to unlock the universe's deepest mysteries and provide a better understanding of the fundamental laws of physics.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 3 outlets · Jul 12, 2026 · How we report
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By precisely tracking the relative positions of quasar pairs, any tiny apparent motions induced by passing gravitational waves can be identified against Earth's own motion.
A spacetime crystal is a regular, lattice‑like configuration of spacetime that can arise during critical collapse; a small addition of energy can destabilize it, causing it to collapse into a microscopic black hole.
They represent a possible outcome of early‑universe critical states and could explain the existence of primordial black holes, offering insight into fundamental aspects of gravity and quantum physics.
Gaia provides high‑precision astrometric measurements of over a million quasars, supplying the data needed to detect the minute positional shifts that may signal gravitational‑wave effects.