Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space by Janna Levin

The inside story of the detection of gravitational waves using the most sensitive scientific instrument ever made – the “LIGO.” The machine was designed to detect infinitesimally small sounds (vibrations) created by giant astronomical events such as collapsing stars, merging galaxies, two black holes collapsing into one, and ever so faintly perhaps, the Big Bang.

Einstein had predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916. This book is the story of how that machine was built and improved upon, culminating, in 2016, in the confirmation of Einstein’s prediction.

Confidently written by someone that clearly knows her subject and is a very accomplished prose stylist. But the subject matter was difficult to grasp.