Abstract:

　 Detecting gravitational waves with pulsar timing arrays is a fast-developing area. It will open a new window to exploit our universe. I will first give a general overview on this area, its current status and future prospect. Then I will discuss the recent progress on gravitational wave detection and characterization through pulsar timing arrays in detail, which completely changes the conventional point of view. Finally, I will talk about the International Pulsar Timing Array Collaboration, which will combine the best radio telescopes in the world to detect gravitational waves. With three best radio telescopes being built in China, FAST, Shanghai and QiTai, China will play a significant role in this promising project in the future.