British technology measures black holes and could heal broken bones

Technology developed in the UK has enabled the precise measurement of a collision between two black holes.

The scientific first, achieved with the collaboration of 11 UK universities and 20 other nations, used a network of three observatories in the United States and Europe to observe the event, which took place 1.8 billion light years away.

“This was a very strong first,” said John Veitch, a research fellow at the University of Glasgow’s School of Physics and Astronomy. “The addition to the network of a signal from Virgo provided us with a lot of useful data. Having a third detector means that we can now triangulate the position of the source, and much more accurately determine the exact spot in the cosmos where the signal came from.”

The detectors included the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in the US, which uses British-made technology to remove vibrations caused by natural and human activity so that the minuscule distortion caused by gravitational waves can be accurately detected.

That technology is now also being tested as part of a process that could help heal human bones. By running it in reverse in a technique known as ‘nanokicking’, the technology can vibrate stem cells thousands of times a second to stimulate the production of bone cells. The resulting ‘bone putty’ could potentially be used to heal fractures and fill bone where there is a gap.

“Today’s announcement helps us delve deeper into understanding how the Universe works,” said Brian Bowsher, chief executive of the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council. “I am particularly pleased that the UK-built technology at the heart of this discovery is also now being used to improve medical treatments.”