The discovery of gravitational waves on 14 September 2015 was the crowning moment of a search which had lasted decades and employed ingenious methods. The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, with its branches in Potsdam-Golm and Hanover, played a crucial role in this success. This is where researchers are working not only on innovative technologies but also on theoretical models, virtual simulations and data analysis. We discussed this work and the importance and consequences of the discovery with Directors Bruce Allen, Alessandra Buonanno and Karsten Danzmann.
They analyzed the data for several hours and then sent