Gravitational Waves Through Time: Scientific Significance, Detection Techniques, and Recent Breakthroughs

Abstract: This article, produced as part of an undergraduate research class, aims to provide an overview of gravitational waves, though it does not offer a comprehensive review. We begin with a brief discussion regarding the history of gravitational waves, beginning even before Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, highlighting important developments and milestones in the field. We then discuss the scientific significance of gravitational wave detections such as the verification of general relativity and key properties of black holes/neutron stars. We extend our analysis into various detection techniques including interferometer-based detectors (LIGO, Virgo, GEO600), pulsar timing arrays, and proposed space-based detectors (LISA, DECIGO, BBO). Finally, we conclude our review with a brief examination of the captivating event GW190521.