--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The size of the effect that we measured…" description: "\"The size of the effect that we measured from the first event, the merging of two black holes, the actual size of the signal was about one thousandth th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/barry-barish-17802_about_the-size-of-the-effect-that-we-measured_1783412.jpg" --- # The size of the effect that we measured from the first… ![“The size of the effect that we measured from the first event, the merging of two black holes, the actual size of the signal was about one thousandth the size of a proton, what it did to our apparatus.” quote by Barry Barish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/barry-barish-17802_about_the-size-of-the-effect-that-we-measured_1783412.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/barry-barish-17802_about_the-size-of-the-effect-that-we-measured_1783412.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/barry-barish-17802_about_the-size-of-the-effect-that-we-measured_1783412.jpg) > “The size of the effect that we measured from the first event, the merging of two black holes, the actual size of the signal was about one thousandth the size of a proton, what it did to our apparatus.” [Barry Barish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-barish/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The measured gravitational‑wave signal was extremely tiny, about one‑thousandth the size of a proton, yet it still affected the detectors. **In simple terms:** The signal was minuscule but detectable. Key Takeaway Even tiny signals can reveal huge events. Themes physics measurement gravitational waves Mood awe curiosity Type scientific technical When to use this quote - scientific research - engineering design - data analysis Key Concepts signal-to-noise ratio precision instrumentation Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve detector sensitivity? - What other phenomena might be hidden in noise? A Different Perspective Detecting such small signals requires ultra‑stable equipment and careful noise control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-hole/) [Black holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-holes/) ## Related quotes > [The most common and most important result of them is that the nature and size of the effect on corresponding series of different elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-stark/the-most-common-and-most-important-result-of-them-is-that-the-nature/) [Johannes Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-stark/) > [When the signal reached LIGO from a collision of two stellar black holes that occurred 1.3 billion years ago, the 1,000-scientist-strong LIGO Scientific Collaboration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-barish/when-the-signal-reached-ligo-from-a-collision-of-two-stellar-black/) [Barry Barish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-barish/) > [“I was really more like an old star, out of fuel, my own gravity pulling me inward, crushing me. 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