Under the spell of the Einstein Telescope
Noah Idris Can is 10 years old and already particularly fascinated by the Einstein Telescope. He can’t wait for the discoveries the instrument will make. And who knows, he might be able to work there later. We sought him out in Maastricht, where he lives with his parents and sister.
Noah has started the first year of secondary school. ‘I skipped year 3 and half of year 7. I’m the smallest in the class, an atom, say, but I don’t mind. I really like it in secondary school,’ he says enthusiastically. Last year, as an addition to the syllabus in year 8, Noah was allowed to do a paper on a topic of his choice. His choice was the Einstein Telescope.
New technologies
‘I’m interested in everything to do with the cosmos. Planets, black holes, gravitational waves… I read about them in Stephen Hawking’s physics books. With the Einstein Telescope, we’re not going to look, as with an ordinary telescope, but listen. The Einstein Telescope senses vibrations that are super-small and that we can’t yet measure. This may help us find out what space looked like long ago. And I wonder whether other living beings in the cosmos can hear us too. New technologies are also being developed for the Einstein Telescope, which can additionally be used elsewhere. For example, vibration-free cooling, which I think could be very useful for air conditioners for people who can’t stand noise.’
Interview with a professor
For the school assignment, Noah interviewed Stefan Hild, professor of experimental physics and gravitational research at Maastricht University. ‘We talked for an hour, including about the impact of the Einstein Telescope on the region. I also asked him what the role of ESA (European Space Agency) is, because that’s where I’d like to work later. Or at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maastricht University.’ Interviewing the German professor in English was no problem for Noah. With a Dutch mother and Turkish father, he speaks Dutch, Turkish, and English. ‘And I’m learning French,’ he adds. ‘I’m a proud European. That’s why I find the Einstein Telescope interesting: many European countries are collaborating on it.’
Many benefits
‘I really hope the Einstein Telescope comes to our region. This is the best place because there are many cities and universities, and we have good soil: a soft layer and a hard layer. There are a lot of benefits for the economy and population growth, as many students and scientists will be drawn to it. And maybe then we’ll actually get a tram in Maastricht. I hope so! What I do wonder is: how do you get in? Is there a staircase, an escalator or a lift? It does seem scary to me to go so deep underground. That space mustn’t be too narrow. And what I also think about is that the construction takes eight years, so won’t the technology being devised be obsolete by the time the Einstein Telescope is finished?’
In his own podcast, ‘The Thinking Room’, Noah discusses with his friend Mark Pluijmen everything that concerns them regarding physics and cosmology. ‘There has only been one episode, but there are more to come. The next one will definitely be about the Einstein Telescope!’
