UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 97: Science and Technology

Recently, scientists observed the merger of giant ‘blackholes’ billions of light-years away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation?

a‘Higgs boson particles’ were detected.

b‘Gravitational waves’ were detected.

cPossibility of inter-galactic space travel through ‘wormhole’ was confirmed.

dIt enabled the scientists to understand ‘singularity’.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

The observation of the merger of giant black holes billions of light-years away is significant because it detected gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime predicted by Einstein and observed by the LIGO and Virgo detectors. The Higgs boson was detected at CERN's Large Hadron Collider in 2012. Wormhole travel has not been confirmed, and gravitational waves from a merger do not reveal a singularity itself.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) The Higgs boson was detected at CERN, not through black hole mergers.
(b) Correct: black hole mergers were seen through gravitational waves.
(c) Wormhole travel has not been confirmed.
(d) The observation does not let scientists see a singularity.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.