News Quantum Physics

LIGO will be getting a quantum upgrade

Quantum ‘squeezing’ light could lead to daily gravitational wave detections

scientists working on LIGO

BETTER DETECTOR  Scientists have been working on upgrades to LIGO (shown). Soon, the gravitational wave detector will begin using quantum techniques.

LIGO Lab/MIT/Caltech

By Emily Conover

WASHINGTON — Gravitational wave detectors are going quantum.

A planned revamp of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, LIGO, relies on finessing quantum techniques, LIGO scientists announced February 14. That $35 million upgrade could let scientists catch a gravitational wave every day, on average.