Vitor Cardoso

Simulations show that a cloud of dark matter around two stars takes the shape of a molecule. The elongated orbits of the stars knock particles out of the cloud, causing their trajectories to round out. This process could leave a noticeable imprint in the gravitational-wave background, helping to rev

Black holes usually reflect some waves. By shaping these waves to hit a precise resonance, physicists forced a black hole to absorb all energy, turning perfectly black. The absorbed energy is then released as a distinct ring, like a bell's tone revealing its shape. This technique could unveil the se

Clouds of ultra-light particles turn black holes into gravitational atoms. New calculations show that after black hole mergers, such clouds noticeably change their ring, which can be detected by gravitational wave detectors.

A small neutron star, orbiting a huge ball of dark matter, accelerates its fall due to friction and creates gravitational waves. This signal closely resembles a black hole merger. Future detectors, like LISA, will be able to distinguish these cosmic impostors.