Probing the Universe with Next-Generation Ground-Based Detectors: Cosmic Explorer and Einstein Telescope

The current generation of gravitational-wave observatories (Advanced LIGO, Advanced Virgo, and KAGRA) has ushered in a new era of discoveries and is continuing to rapidly expand our event catalog. Yet, the era of gravitational-wave astronomy is still at its dawn. The planned next generation of ground-based detectors (Cosmic Explorer in the US and the Einstein Telescope in Europe) will bring a dramatic increase in sensitivity, enabling a comprehensive census of gravitational-wave sources throughout cosmic history. In this talk, I will outline the vision for both facilities, emphasizing the importance of a global network. I will discuss recent and ongoing efforts to evaluate the impact of different detector design choices on core scientific objectives for Cosmic Explorer, utilizing frameworks such as the Science Traceability Matrix. Finally, I will highlight Cosmic Explorer's unparalleled potential to probe the high-redshift Universe and deliver transformative discoveries across astrophysics, fundamental physics and cosmology.