Could it be that human existence depends on gravitational waves? Some key elements in our biological makeup may come from astrophysical events that occur because gravitational waves exist, a research team headed by John R. Ellis of Kings College London suggests.
  • Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    2·
    9 months ago

    Can someone explain this part: “Such mergers are directly caused by gravitational waves.”.

    I would’ve described it the prize way around, that only the merger of neuron stars provide enough gravitational energy to result in measurable gravitational waves - but this article claims that it’s the other way around…?

    • wisha
      4·
      9 months ago

      With Newtonian physics if you have two neutron stars orbiting each other they would just continue orbiting forever. With general relativity, the orbiting neutron stars shed energy by sending out gravitational waves. Losing energy they get closer and closer and then merge.

      • Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        1·
        9 months ago

        But it’s in the headline as well - that there should be a cause by the waves themselves - or perhaps I’m over reading the marketing side of science articles once more!

        • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
          31·
          9 months ago

          The headline is referring to the fact that iodine and bromine are products of neutron star collisions, it is just really bad writing as often happens with science reporting. The original paper is more clear, probably should’ve just linked to it in the first place https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.03593