A Brief History of Gravitational Waves

TL;DR

This paper reviews the historical development of gravitational wave theory and detection, highlighting key predictions, challenges, and the eventual successful observation of these ripples in spacetime.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive historical overview of gravitational wave research, emphasizing the progression from theoretical prediction to experimental detection.

Findings

Prediction of gravitational waves by Einstein in 1916

Overcoming theoretical and experimental challenges

Successful detection of gravitational waves

Abstract

This review describes the discovery of gravitational waves. We recount the journey of predicting and finding those waves, since its beginning in the early twentieth century, their prediction by Einstein in 1916, theoretical and experimental blunders, efforts towards their detection, and finally the subsequent successful discovery.