LIGO'S & the Big Bang?

Question

Why is it so important for scientiests to understand

what happened at the moment of the "Big Bang"

I mean, how will that affect our understanding of the nature

of the Cosmos and also is there any practical use for learning

about Gravity Waves as it pertains to the Big Bang?

What are your thoughts on L.I.G.O.S? and are you a

member of "Einstein@Home"?

[e-mail]

Ba

Answer 1

don't know how it would explain nature!!!!???....but i have always wondered....the big bang was caused by gases exploding and creating matter....but if there was nothing...then where did the gases come from...

Answer 2

In the early 1800's Michael Faraday invented a device that could generate an electrical current.  A woman asked him what use it was. The great scientist's reply "Madam, of what use is a newborn baby."

That electrical generator is the single most important invention of the 19th century. Without it, our whole technology wold not exist. Period. We'd still be riding horses, lightig our homes with candles and oil lamps. No computers, no telephones, TV, radio, not even cars--they have to have an electric generator to work.

Basic science is like that. Yu try to understand how the universe works. Applications come later. We don't know what useful devices or knowledge might emerge from current research. But some willl.  As to why understanding the moment of the Big Bang---it is the one situation in which the normal laws of the universe (gravity, the limiting factor of the speed of light, relativity, even time itself) break down. If we can learn to understand that process, it will give us a much better understanding of all those principals--and that is the first step in learning how they work now--and how we can use them to build more advanced technology.

As for LIGOs--I think my comments above answer your question.  And no, I don't donate computer time to projects like einstein@home.. Nothing against it--but due to what I do, my computer has some very funky stuff o n it and the software has conflicts.