How to Hear the Universe: Gaby González and the Search for Einstein’s Ripples in Space-Time

Gr 1-4–Albert Einstein published his theory of general relativity in Germany in 1915, but he could not detect or measure the ripples (gravitational waves) in space-time that he theorized existed. Years later, in Argentina, a young girl named Gabriela (Gaby) González became curious about time, space, and gravity; she went on to study physics, and became part of the team that eventually was able to measure the gravitational waves Einstein had described. This advanced subject matter is presented with clarity and a sense of wonder, making it accessible to a young (often space-obsessed) audience, with additional back matter (time line, glossary, sources, notes) for those who want more detail. Palacios’s illustrations feature recurring motifs of dragonflies, frogs on lily pads, speech bubbles filled with pictures and diagrams, chalkboards full of equations, and five-pointed stars.