Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: In 2015, the first observation of gravitational waves marked a breakthrough in astrophysics and in technological research and development. The discovery of a gravitational-wave signal from the collision of two black holes, a billion light-years away, received considerable interest from the media and public. We describe the development of a purpose-built exhibit explaining this new area of research to a general audience. The core element of the exhibit is a working Michelson interferometer: a scaled-down version of the key technology used in gravitational-wave detectors. The Michelson interferometer is integrated into a hands-on exhibit, which allows for user interaction and simulated gravitational-wave observations. An interactive display provides a self-guided explanation of gravitational-wave related topics through video, animation, images, and text. We detail the hardware and software used to create the exhibit, and discuss two installation variants: An independent learning experience in a museum setting (the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum) and a science-festival with the presence of expert guides (the 2017 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition). We assess audience reception in these two settings, describe the improvements we have made given this information, and discuss future public-engagement projects resulting from this work. The exhibit is found to be effective in communicating the new and unfamiliar field of gravitational-wave research to general audiences. An accompanying website provides parts lists and information for others to build their own version of this exhibit.
Source: American Journal of Physics
DOI: 10.1119/10.0003534
Institutions: University of Birmingham, University of Florida, The University of Melbourne, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, Northwestern University, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Glasgow, The University of Western Australia, Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Edinburgh, Leibniz University Hannover, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, National Institute for Subatomic Physics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Language: English
Subfield: Museology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1231181634, Gravitational-Wave Inference from Binary Compact Objects, G1734570557, Experiments and Simulations for Improving the Sensitivity of Advanced LIGO and Future Gravitational Wave Detectors, G3199253494, G3825855354, Catching the Wave: Gravitational Wave Exhibition at the Thinktank Science Museum, G5027012758, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, G7213046781, G7379407780, G7653576104, G8570682797, Technologies for Future Gravitational-Wave Observatories: Lasers, Optics, Materials, Cryogenics, and Simulations
OpenAlex ID: W3015215577