Can Gravitational Waves Stretch And Squeeze Space As They Pass?

💡 The Answer

• Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime caused by massive accelerating objects.
• As they travel, they alternately stretch and compress space perpendicular to their direction.
• These distortions are incredibly tiny, requiring laser interferometers like LIGO to detect.
• The first direct detection in 2015 confirmed a prediction of Einstein's general relativity.