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Thinking critically

Black holes remain one of the most mystifying phenomena in astrophysics. These extremely dense regions of spacetime have a gravitational pull so intense that nothing – not even light – can escape once it crosses the event horizon. However, there are still many open questions about the nature and life cycle of black holes that challenge our current models.

For example, one paradox that continues to puzzle scientists is how black holes manage to hold so much information within their seemingly vacuous interiors. According to quantum theory, information cannot be destroyed – yet that conflicts with how black holes appear capable of permanently swallowing up matter, energy and their properties. Attempts to reconcile general relativity and quantum mechanics to resolve this black hole information paradox remain incomplete. Understanding the full complexity behind black holes will likely require new, revolutionary physics.

Additionally, we have yet to directly observe what goes on behind a black hole’s event horizon. Proposed experiments to create a simulation of the physics governing the interior might shed light, but could also uncover aspects that entirely defy our existing frameworks. Getting actual measurements of black holes surfaces and environments remains an ongoing effort. Making sense of these objects pushes science to its limits. There is clearly still much to understand about the true nature of black holes and unlocking their most perplexing secrets.

Glossary

Event Horizon - The boundary around a black hole beyond which no light or other radiation can escape due to the strong gravity. It marks the "point of no return." Singularity - The center of a black hole where matter is crushed to infinite density, the pull of gravity is infinitely strong, and spacetime physics breaks down. It remains hidden behind the event horizon. Accretion Disk - The disk of gas, dust and debris orbiting and spiraling into the black hole, caused by gravitational attraction. Accretion disks can emit high energy radiation detectable by telescopes. Gravitational Time Dilation - The slowing of time for an observer approaching a gravity well like a black hole. To a distant observer, time appears much slower closer to the intense gravitational field near the event horizon. Hawking Radiation - The very faint glow predicted to be given off by black holes over extremely long time scales due to quantum effects near their event horizons, which causes them to lose mass and "evaporate." Schwarzschild Radius - The critical radius used to calculate the event horizon of a non-rotating black hole, proportional to its mass. Anything within this sphere-like surface cannot escape.