Publisher's Synopsis
Facing Infinity is an engaging journey through the history of black holes—from the discovery that the dark object at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*, is a black hole itself, to discussions of whether our universe is inside a black hole. Jonas Enander tackles some of the most mind-bending questions in physics and astronomy today, unveiling all we know, and have yet to discover, about the mysteries of our universe. In late eighteenth-century England, clergyman and physicist John Michell posed a startling question—what if there are objects in space that are so large and heavy that they swallow up all of their surroundings, including light? Almost 250 years later, in April 2019, scientists captured the first picture of a black hole. We've come a long way since John Michell's initial ponderings, with scientists constantly expanding our understanding of black holes—even as much remains mysterious about them. Author Jonas Enander, himself a trained physicist, shares insights gained from his travels everywhere around the world, visiting telescopes and observatories, and interviewing over 20 world-leading experts on the subject. As he unravels the history of our understanding of black holes, he reveals the human story behind the science. Our curiosity to know more about these elusive celestial objects led to the invention of WiFi and the calibration of GPS; our observations of distant black holes have taught us more about the Earth; and our race to discover more about the universe has had colonial impacts, leaving lasting ripples in our society today.
