Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space

At the dawn of creation and a billion light years away, a pair of black holes collided and created the barely perceptible sound of gravitational waves. How would scientists even begin to detect such an event? Distinguished theoretical astrophysicist and popular science author Janna Levin narrates her fascinating and detailed account of the construction and operation of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), at Caltech and MIT, with a voice of wonder, commitment and, at times, exasperation. Levin doesn't shrink from discussing the handling of billion-dollar budgets while working with some of most brilliant and quirky scientists in the world. In the end, one can hear the pride in Levin's voice as her team stands on the brink of witnessing one of the pillars of Einstein's general theory of relativity. B.P. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

March 14, 2016
Following the detection of gravitational waves 100 years after Einstein predicted their existence, Levin, a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College, goes behind the scenes for a chatty insider's look at the brilliant, eccentric people who continued the search for the elusive phenomenon. Much of the book is told through conversations with the major players involved with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), particularly Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss, along with an earlier researcher's taped interview with Ron Drever. The scientists' personalities are evident in their stories, which are interlaced with clear explanations of the science of black holes. As is often the case in cutting-edge science, clashes were inevitable. There was professional jealousy; there was selfless collaboration. And all the while, there was the possibility that it was a fool's dream. Levin delves into the backgrounds of numerous researchers, painting a sad picture of Joe Weber, a pioneer in the field who erred in his calculations and was left behind. Few of the interviewees mince words, offering unvarnished perspectives on the conflicts and obstacles as well as the camaraderie of those involved. Levin tells the story of this grand quest with the immediacy of a thriller and makes the fixations and foibles of its participants understandable.