The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is part of a global constellation of detectors that is currently recording gravitational-wave data with an unprecedented sensitivity. Plausible sources for this first generation instruments include core-collapse supernovae, stochastic background of astrophysical or cosmological origin, rapidly spinning neutron stars as well as black hole or neutron star binaries. In this talk I will describe the status of the instruments as well as the ongoing searches and recent astrophysical results.
Coffee and cookies before the presentation at 3:15 pm, and refreshments after the presentation will both be served in Room 128.