The Virgo interferometer is a large-scale scientific instrument near Pisa, Italy, for detecting gravitational waves. The detector measures minuscule length variations in its two 3-kilometre (1.9-mile) arms induced by the passage of gravitational waves. The project, named after the Virgo galaxy cluster, was first approved in 1992 and construction was completed in 2003. After undergoing important upgrades between 2011 and 2016 (during which LIGO made the first detection of gravitational waves), Virgo made its first detection on 14 August 2017. This was followed by the detection of GW170817, the only gravitational wave also observed with classical methods (optical, gamma-ray, X-ray and radio telescopes) as of 2024. Virgo is managed by the Virgo Collaboration, gathering 940 members in 20 countries, in cooperation with similar detectors such as LIGO and KAGRA.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_interferometer

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1862:

American Civil War: The Confederate Army began an attempt to gain control of the Southwest with a major victory in the Battle of Valverde. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Valverde

1952:

A number of student protesters demanding the establishment of Bengali as an official language were killed by police in Dhaka, East Pakistan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language_movement

1965:

American Black nationalist Malcolm X was assassinated while giving a speech in New York City's Audubon Ballroom. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

1973:

After accidentally straying into Israeli-occupied airspace, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 was shot down by two fighter aircraft, killing 108 of the 113 people on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libyan_Arab_Airlines_Flight_114

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

universal grinder: (linguistics) A notional mechanism whereby countable nouns are made uncountable. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/universal_grinder

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

To each according to his threat advantage does not count as a principle of justice.   --John Rawls https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Rawls