“With an idea that the impossible is often possible if you work hard at it. What we do here is thought to be impossible for many decades” Our own @giaime.net talks to @wafb.com about our 10th anniversary
www.wafb.com/2025/09/15/f... by Liam Combs
#GW10Years 🔭🧪⚛️
I’ve not been as active here as I’d like, so this is a bit delayed, but I was stoked to have been the operator on-duty at Hanford for our largest detection to date!
Publicly funded science is no stranger to setting records 😤
Myself (left) and two colleagues dressed in full clean room garb in front of a large optics table
Close-up view of optics table with two freshly aligned optical fibers visible
Always fun to work on our main laser (PSL) table — this time for new optics installation and optical fiber alignment — but three days of it in a row is just a bit tiresome
The Department of Government Efficiency, for example
Highlights: O4 detectors bounce back site troubles overcome; Taking gravitational wave science to the heart of Hingoli; The forgotten life of Mileva Marić Einstein; What does the Universe sound like; Remembering Amber Sturver; Climate & Sustainability Committee; Searching for systematics in banking; Empowering early career scientists to drive the next era of GW; Antimatter; News from KAGRA; Keeping up with Observing Run 5; How it works: Detector control loops; Highlight from Virgo; NASA reveals full-scale telescope prototype for LISA; What happens when you fall into a black hole; WE hear that; News from the spokespeople; The Einstein Telescope Organisation
Issue 26 of @ligomagazine.bsky.social is out now!
ligo.org/wp-content/u...
Catch up with news from across the gravitational-wave community
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Honored to have played a small role in such a cool milestone. By my count, I was supervising the Hanford detector for 29 of these candidates!
Initial sky localization. 90% are 1,800 sq deg.
Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 3.5 Gpc.
Overnight gravitational-wave candidate S250208ad
If real, the source is probably a binary black hole
False alarm rate 1 in 84 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/39...
Rating ⏰ 🍦
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Had to bring up to some older family members about how I could lose my dream job if federal funding to scientific research gets cut.
They changed the topic pretty quick.
I think the only way certain people will snap out of a cult-like following is to show them how it affects the ones they love.
Sadly no, but I’d love to do more traveling and networking in the future! I think some other LHO folks might be there though
This is awesome! Makes the switch over from the Bad Place all the easier!
What I find incredibly funny about this is that I haven’t posted since 😅
Maybe I’ll change my ways!
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are all good things. They don’t happen automatically, we have to actively work to bring them about. Shout it from the rooftops.
Alright I’ll be honest, kinda forgot this app was here. But with everything going on over in the other place, I think it’s time for the permanent switch. Lmk about any cool folks over here I should follow!
Three coyotes lounging on the lawn and drinking from sprinklers
I enjoy evening shifts because of the sunsets and the wildlife here in eastern WA that often puts on a show while I’m making dinner. Last night this coyote family was here taking drinks from our sprinklers!
Congrats to a Seattle and worldwide sports legend, Megan Rapinoe, on an amazing career! While I’m sad to see her go at the end of the NWSL season, I know she’ll enjoy her much-deserved retirement. No one like you, ‘Pinoe!
I wrote about being tossed about on cosmic gravitational waves, for @washingtonpost.com: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/06/grav...
What a fantastic episode! Can’t wait for the rest of the series!
I did! I have it on my water bottle and when my sister saw it the other day she said “that’s the nerdiest thing I’ve ever seen,” so job well done!
Shoutout to @asleepywanderer.bsky.social for the sweet LIGO design off of her Redbubble store! (I had to get every sticker too, of course)
I might be! Lotta weight on my shoulders lol
I’m ready
Alright so I just learned posts on here are called “skeets,” so we’re off to a promising start
Me in a clean room suit working on a cluttered optics table
Hey Bluesky! Hoping to be more active here than I was on other platforms talking about my neat work at LIGO (but probably posting too many pics of trees). Enjoy a shot of me working on our main laser table!