LIGO Press Conference Stream

[RobM77]

For anyone interested, here's a live stream of today's much anticipated LIGO press conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyo4DFr4D4I

This will hopefully go live at 3:15pm GMT.

[RobM77]

That link didn't do anything. Here's one that works:

http://youtu.be/c7293kAiPZw

[RobM77]

And here's the paper:

https://dcc.ligo.org/public/0122/P150914/014/LIGO-...

Quite an amazing discovery Incredibly exciting

[RobM77]

Kccv23highliftcam said:

4x4Tyke said:

Doubts starting to appear

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24032022-60...
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2184360-ligo-...

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/10/danish-phy...
https://www.thewire.in/the-sciences/danish-groups-...
http://www.nbi.ku.dk/gravitational-waves/index.htm...

Is there just one source and they are all jumping on the bandwagon though....a bit like, you know, it's all over social media so it MUST be right....

Yes, that one group at the NBI. They're not doubting the results per se, if you read their statements, they're merely advising caution on LIGO's data cleansing techniques. LIGO are due to respond soon.

[RobM77]

4x4Tyke said:

RobM77 said:

Yes, that one group at the NBI. They're not doubting the results per se, if you read their statements, they're merely advising caution on LIGO's data cleansing techniques. LIGO are due to respond soon.

The second New Scientist article covers the response, I gather there are two sceptical groups, the Danish lot and Spanish group. I'll label the links above better.

The Danish group's questions are largely about the analysis, that the signals do not really justify the rather assertive language used by LIGO, they are not saying they are wrong, per say.

This is however how good science is supposed to work, methods and results challenged, constructive critiques raised and challenged back. The idea being the next round of announced experiment results and papers will be more robust until they cannot be challenged in a meaningful way.

Indeed, yes. I would advise caution though; there are lots of great minds in institutions around the world who accept LIGO's GW detection. The other key principle in science is of course consensus, and as far as I know there is still a consensus for the detection of GWs. The New Scientist do have a tendency to pick up on poorly supported niche ideas and make a storm in a teacup about them - it's why I stopped reading NS years ago.