So what do the NASA boffins do when they run out of new headline-hitting 'theories'? Why, they keep resurrecting old ones; this 'gravitational waves' ('ripples'? ) crap could run and run for years. Nice work if you can get it though, but I wish they'd stick to what they actually know about, such as climate change, and holes in the ozone layer, rather than fanciful stuff like space ripples. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42013920
The fascinating thing about gravitational ripples is that they establish that it is theoretically possible to "warp" space-time. That makes the concept of a "warp drive" less of an imaginary sci-fi idea and moves it into the arena of what is technically feasible. Gravity is the biggest obstacle to overcome when exploring space and we spend enormous amounts of energy just getting into orbit around the earth. Imagine if it was possible to "catch" a "gravitational wave" and "surf" along the leading edge? We already know what is feasible with solar sails and this kind of science may never result in something that we can use but a century ago the concept of automobiles and heavier than air flight were just in their infancy. You were risking your life to use them back then but now billions of people have access to safe vehicles and flights all over the planet. Learning about our awesome universe is something that I always enjoy regardless as to whether or not it becomes practical knowledge in my own lifetime.
