Shane Larson, professor of Physics at Northwestern University and member of CIERA (Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics) gave a lecture titled “The Gravitational Universe: A New View of the Cosmos”, within the partnership between the US embassy in Lisbon and Instituto Superior Técnico (IST/ACorner).

Professor Shane Larson talked about the project LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and the gravitational wave detector LISA in a detailed way. The detection of the first gravitational waves represented “the biggest breakthrough in astrophysics”, namely for what it taught us about the Universe.

Regarding the future, Professor Shane Larson explained the importance of technology in the new discoveries across the cosmos, “we are just in the beginning. Gravity will show us the most amazing and enigmatic things about the Universe”.