laughin Wrote:

> But some kind radiation has, in the past, been
> what they tried to make gravity to be
> all part of the "unification of the forces)
> process

This is incorrect. they are talking about teh unification of different forces/interactions. You use the word radiation as if it has only one meaning pertaining to EM. Alpha and beta radiation for example are particles, you get proton, and heavy ion radiation treatment for some cancers. The Weak force is mediated by W and Z bosons, and these are not EM radiation, but yet The EM force is unified with the Weak force at high energies. Your view is far too simplistic and misunderstood.


> whatever it is, HAS to travel faster than light,
> because the effect of gravity does
> [grahamhancock.com]
> ,1040448#msg-1040448

Actually no. Gravity in a Newtonian gravity framework is instantaneous. In general relativity it has a finite speed, that of the speed of light. Gravitational waves cannot exist is Newtonian gravity. that is why this result is such a milestone, as it once again proves that the framework for general relativity is correct, and that Newtonian gravity is not correct, although the latter is a good approximation for slow speeds and small mass.

> So they are saying that space is rippling, not
> that some particle is traveling THRU space FTL
> also, remember, space isn't made of particles (so
> get any ideas of aether out of your head right
> now)
> If a ripple of "space" (chuckle) can travel faster
> than light can travel through it
> then GR isn't violated,
> the effect can be as fast as needed
> and if no particles are exchanged
> no bosons or gravitons needed
> (bosons!, we don't need no stinking bosons)
> which explains why they haven't been found!!!!
>

Like all waves, gravitational waves are energy propagation through space. In the case of gravitational waves, this is manifested through the waving of space-time, just like an electromagnetic wave is a waving teh the electromagnetic field. Just like the electromagnetic field, no medium is required to carry the wave (unlike sound waves for example). As to why gravitons havent been found. Since gravitons are the quantised vibration of the gravitational field (much as photons are the quantised vibration of the EM field), and since an ensemble of gravitons would make up a gravitational wave (much like an ensemble of photons make up an EM wave), and since we have only just developed apparatus sensitive enough to detect gravitational waves, I think you are asking too much as to why we have not yet found gravitons!


> Hey, I'm just trying to interpret their "findings"
> before the Nobel
> (it looks better to have the story straight
> beforehand)

> now the big question...?
> what's shakin'? (an old hippy expression :) )
> what (and how) is grabbing ahold of space and
> shaking it?
> especially since there is nothing to grab ahold
> of.....

It is an interesting question, and general relativity is not the end of the subject on how nature works, since at the quatum level it breaks down. When, or if, we ever develope a completely consistant theory of quantum gravity your big question may be answered...or not.

BTW, its best to refer to them as gravitational waves. Gravity waves are something entirely different [en.wikipedia.org]

Jonny