University of Birmingham - The Sound of Gravitational Waves

Celebrating a decade of gravitational-wave discovery! 

Light doesn’t always travel in straight lines. Our perception of time is relative. The very fabric of spacetime is constantly shrinking and expanding around us. This is what Einstein predicted in his theory of general relativity, and what observational physicists have proven over and over again.

When massive objects, such as black holes, come together they produce ripples in spacetime which travel across the Universe. These ripples are known as gravitational waves. All around us, there exists a cacophony of gravitational waves: the symphony of the Universe, unheard until 10 years ago! 

University of Birmingham presents a group of six scientists and six musicians who will let you experience the ongoing story of gravitational wave detection through music and presentation, 10 years to the day after the first gravitational wave detection was announced. Not discovered, mind you – that happened four months earlier and we will tell you that amazing story too! 

The researchers will tell of the wonder of gravitational waves, from the local inspirals of black holes to the  entire population of the gravitational waves we know about. Likewise the musicians will interpret the science and respond to gravitational wave research using both electronic and traditional instruments. They will respond in a textural way and in quad surround. The Hexagon is a sonically excellent space for this. Genre wise, they span the panoply of space music, from sci-fi synth pop to scintillating contemporary classical and dusky ambient electronic.