Join us for the Screening of, The Faraway Nearby, a documentary about the pioneering work to discover gravitational waves. After the screening, there will be a discussion and time for a Q&A with the Director (Paula Froehle), Co-Creator (Alan Lightman) and Dean of Science at MIT (Nergis Mavalvala).

This event is free and open to the public. The location has changed and is in building 54 room 100. 

The Faraway Nearby follows the tragic life of pioneer physicist Joseph Weber, whose pursuit of gravitational waves takes him on a dizzying journey from the height of acclaim to the depths of despair and disdain when he breaks the cardinal rule of science and clings to his ideas though his results can't be duplicated. Physicists, artists, and other creatives explore the emotional side of discovery and question whether the risk is worth the journey.

At the intersection of art and science, The Faraway Nearby illustrates Joe Weber’s struggle to be the first to ‘hear’ gravitational waves in space, a passion that consumed him until his death. It is a story of self sacrifice and the pioneering spirit, featuring interviews with Nobel Laureates Kip Thorne and Rai Weiss, astrophysicists Nergis Mavalvala and Rana Adhikari, psychologist Steven Pinker, and many others. Weber was a brilliant but misunderstood thinker who took astronomy to new heights through determination and creativity. Featuring artists Silas Riener and Lia Halloran, the film explores the relationship between diligent creative practice and the resilience necessary for scientific discovery, and how both help us understand our place in the universe.