The Council of Ministers approved the federal contribution to the preparatory phase of the Einstein telescope project on Friday. Some €4 million will be made available, announced State Secretary for Science Policy Thomas Dermine.
Last year, Belgium, the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) signed a declaration of intent for a joint bid to set up the telescope in the border area of the three countries.
The Einstein Telescope is intended to be the world's most advanced gravitational-wave observatory. It should place Europe at the forefront of research into these waves, which shake the very structure of space and time following cataclysmic events such as the merging of black holes or the collision of neutron stars.
The study of gravitational waves should enable us to learn more about the origins and workings of the universe, including gravitation itself.
The project consists of a set of laser interferometers (tools for measuring wave interference) in the shape of equilateral triangles, each 10 kilometres on a side, which will be placed in tunnels 250 metres underground to reduce external disturbances caused by seismic activity and gravity.
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Last week, the Walloon government decided to invest €10 million in four university research projects to bolster the Euregio Meuse-Rhine's candidacy.
Wallonia will find out in 2026 whether this telescope project will become a reality on its territory or a nearby one, or whether it will be overtaken by Italy, which is also in the running to host this infrastructure.
