Revolutionary discovery: Scientists find gravitational waves Einstein predicted
For the first time ever, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves, bizarre ripples in space-time foreseen by Einstein a century ago. The discovery was the final, acid test of Einstein’s celebrated general theory of relativity, and once again Einstein’s genius held up to scrutiny.
“Einstein comes out with beaming success,” Caltech’s Kip Thorne, one of the founders of the observatory that caught the gravitational waves, told reporters Thursday.
The find not only validates one of the most fundamental theories in physics but also promises to revolutionize astronomy. Because gravitational waves carry information about their source, the ability to detect these weird undulations will allow researchers to study distant and elusive features of the universe. (USA Today)
Oregon Occupation Ends As Last Holdout Surrenders
After 41 days, the Oregon occupation is over: All four militants who remained at an occupied wildlife refuge have surrendered to the FBI.
David Fry, Jeff Banta, Sean Anderson and Sandy Anderson were the last four militants left at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, near Burns, Ore., on Thursday morning. A group of armed anti-federalists had taken over the refuge in early January, saying they were protesting the convictions of two Oregon ranchers on arson charges.
Banta and the Andersons left their weapons behind and walked into FBI custody on Thursday morning. More than an hour later, Fry followed them.
“No one was injured, and no shots were fired,” the FBI said in a statement. （NPR）
4 U.S. law enforcement officers shot within days; 3 dead
Gunfire claimed the lives of at least three on-duty officers in an unusually deadly week for U.S. law enforcement.
In a three-day period, three officers were killed in the line of duty and another was gravely wounded in shootings around the country, doubling the number of officers who’ve died by gunfire so far this year.
A Colorado sheriff’s deputy died after being shot Monday; two sheriff’s deputies were killed Wednesday in Maryland; and a police officer shot Wednesday night in North Dakota is not expected to survive, authorities say.
Before these deaths were reported, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said at least three other U.S. law enforcement officers had died from gunfire in the line of duty this year. Adding the totals together, that would make at least six since January 1.
Only one officer’s shooting death happened during the same period last year, though at least 42 were fatally shot in 2015 — a rate of less than one per week — according to the group.
At least 124 officers died in the line of duty last year — more than two per week — from all causes, the group said. （CNN）
REWARD SUGGESTED FOR HOMELESS MAN WHO HELPED FIND 2 OC JAIL ESCAPEES
A homeless man who helped police capture two of the escaped inmates from Orange County may have some reward money coming his way.Matthew Hay-Chapman spotted the escapees’ stolen van at a Whole Foods supermarket in San Francisco and alerted police.
