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Kip Thorne

! scientist · # tag · @ author
1940- · astrophysics, gravitational physics, theoretical physics
American theoretical physicist, one of the creators of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), which for the first time in history detected gravitational waves. His work on black holes, wormholes, and time travel changed views on relativistic astrophysics.

Biography

Born in Logan, Utah. Grew up in an academic environment (both parents were scientists). Earned his bachelor's degree at Caltech and his PhD at Princeton under John Wheeler. From 1967 until retirement, professor at the California Institute of Technology. Together with Rainer Weiss and Ronald Drever founded the LIGO project in the 1980s. Laureate of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics (shared with Weiss and Barish). Also known as co-author of the textbook 'Gravitation' (with Misner and Wheeler) and scientific consultant for the film 'Interstellar'.

Key discoveries

💡 Thorne made a famous bet with Stephen Hawking for a year's subscription to Penthouse magazine that the object Cygnus X-1 was a black hole. The wager lasted almost 20 years, and Hawking conceded defeat. Thorne also insisted that the black hole visual effects in the film 'Interstellar' be as scientifically accurate as possible, which required writing new computer algorithms and led to the publication of scientific papers.
Quote: "Gravitational-wave astronomy is a new way to listen to the Universe. Before, we could only look at it, and now we hear its breathing."
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Related tags
gravitational waveskilonovaLIGOspacetime curvature
Related laws
Einstein field equationsquadrupole radiation formulastandard quantum limit
Related scientists
Henri PoincaréFritz ZwickyJacob BekensteinRainer WeissCharles TownesStephen HawkingKarl SchwarzschildJoseph Weber

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