Waves can be detected in one of a few ways; they either/or
* interact with existing particles in their environment. Sound is an example, requiring some sort of medium (in most cases, air/water) to continue.
* are a result of outputting particles at specific intesities (amplitudes) or intervals (frequencies). Light, for instance, is the particle itself.
Because the particles exist as their own medium, they can travel through space, and because space has relatively low amounts of other particles, they can travel without interference for the most part.
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