Gravitational Wave Observatories Detect 200th Event

The international network of gravitational wave observatories, including LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA, registered its 200th potential gravitational wave event on Wednesday. This event marks a significant milestone in the ongoing O4 observation run, which began on May 24, 2023. Scientists worldwide are analyzing these events to gain new insights into black hole and neutron star astrophysics, the nature of gravity, and the evolution of the universe. The 200th event is believed to have resulted from the merger of two black holes. The increased detection rate is attributed to technological improvements and enhanced sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors. Between September 18, 2015, and March 25, 2020, the network recorded 90 gravitational wave detections. As of March 19, 2025, the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network has registered a total of 290 gravitational wave events.