Summary
The Nobel Prize in Physics this year recognizes significant advancements in our understanding of black holes, awarded to Roger Penrose, Andrea Ghez, and Reinhard Genzel. Penrose's groundbreaking work on singularities within black holes has reshaped theoretical physics, demonstrating that black holes must contain singularities regardless of how they form. His singularity theorem indicates that in any distribution of matter compacted to a small enough volume, an event horizon and a singularity will inevitably form, challenging previous assumptions about the nature of space and time.
Penrose's findings have profound implications beyond black holes, influencing the work of Stephen Hawking, who applied similar concepts to the origins of the universe. Together, they established the Penrose-Hawking singularity theorems, suggesting that the universe itself must have begun from a singularity at the Big Bang. This work underscores the limitations of general relativity and hints at the necessity for a unified theory that incorporates both general relativity and quantum mechanics.
The recognition of Penrose, Ghez, and Genzel highlights the critical role of black hole research in modern astrophysics, affirming the existence of these enigmatic cosmic phenomena and the singularities they harbor. Their contributions not only deepen our understanding of gravity but also pave the way for future discoveries in the quest to comprehend the universe's fundamental nature.
Show Notes
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 27-10-20The Nobel prize in physics this year went to black holes. Generally speaking. Specifically, it was shared by the astronomers who revealed to us the Milky Way’s central black hole and by Roger Penrose, who proved that in general relativity, every black hole contains a place of infinite gravity - a singularity. But the true impact of Penrose’s singularity theorem would is much deeper - it leads us to the limits Einstein’s great theory and to the origin of the universe.Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeCheck out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://pbsspacetime.com/Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdGraphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, and Pedro OsinskiDirected by: Andrew KornhaberCamera Operator: Setare GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberEnd Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0QSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon Sponsors!Big Bang SupportersSean MaddoxMarty YudkovitzBrodie RaoScott GrayRobert DoxtatorAhmad JodehCaed AldwychRadu NegulescuAlexander TamasMorgan HoughJuan BenetFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid NicklasQuasar SupportersJustin LloydChristina OegrenMark HeisingVinnie FalcoHypernova Supporterswilliam bryanNicholas NewlinMark Matthew BoskoJustin JermynJason FinnАнтон КочковAlec S-LJulian TyackeSyed AnsarJohn R. SlavikMathewDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph SalomoneMatthew O'Connorchuck zegarJordan Youngm0nkHank SJohn HofmannTimothy McCullochGamma Ray Burst SupportersJason NormandinCameron SampsonPratik MukherjeeGeoffrey ClarionAstronauticistNateDarren DuncanLily kawaiiRuss CreechJeremy ReedMax BernardMagistrala Хемус [Kybrit]Bill BlairEric WebsterSteven SartoreJames YoungerDavid JohnstonJ. KingMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyMr TAndrew MannJeremiah Johnsonfieldsa eleanoryPeter MertzKevin O'ConnellRichard DeightonIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganDawn M FinkBleys GoodsonDarryl J LyleRobert WalterBruce BIsmael MontecelM DAndrew RichmondSimon OliphantMirik GogriDavid HughesMark Daniel CohenBrandon LattinYannick WeynsNickolas Andrew FreemanBrian BlanchardShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiEric KieblerTatiana VorovchenkoCraig StonahaMichael ConroyGraydon GossFrederic SimonGreg SmithSean WarniahaTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GKevin LeeAdrian HatchYurii KonovaliukJohn FunaiCass CostelloGeoffrey ShortBradley JenkinsKyle HoferTim StephaniLuaanAlecZeroMalte UblNick VirtueScott GossettDavid BethalaDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkKevin WarneAndreas NautschBrandon labonteLucas Morgan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 28-03-19Of all the unlikely ends of the universe, the Big Rip has to be the most spectacular. Galaxies ripped to shreds, dogs and cat first living together, then tragically separated by the infinitely accelerating expansion of space on subatomic scales. Good thing it's not going to happen. Or is it?Check out the new Space Time Merch Store!https://pbsspacetime.com/Support Space Time on Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime#bigrip #endoftheuniverse #spacetimeLearn More About Dark Energy Here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...Hosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdGraphics by Aaron HalevyDirecting by Andrew KornhaberThe universe is expanding, and that expansion is accelerating. We don’t know what’s causing that acceleration, but that hasn’t stopped us from giving it a name. We call this unknown influence dark energy. The observed acceleration is, for the most part, nicely described with a constant density of dark energy – the same amount of this stuff in every block of space. Which means if you increase the volume you increase the overall amount of dark energy – hence accelerating expansion. Mathematically we describe a constant energy density with the cosmological constant in the equations of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. But what if dark energy is NOT constant? What if the energy density in each patch of space increases over time? In that case, the acceleration itself could be … accelerating. That would be bad.Special thanks to our Patreon Big Bang, Quasar and Hypernova Supporters: Big Bang:Anton LifshitscoolascatsDavid NicklasFabrice EapJuan BenetJustin LloydTim DavisQuasar:James FlowersMark RosenthalTambe BarsbayVinnie FalcoHypernova: chuck zegarDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinEdmund FokschanerJens TheisenJohn HofmannJordan YoungJoseph SalomonekkmMark HeisingMatthew O'ConnorThanks to our Patreon Gamma Ray Burst Supporters: Alexey EromenkoAntonio RuizBradley JenkinsBrandon LabonteBuruk AregawiCarlo MogaveroDaniel LyonsDavid BehtalaDavid CraneDavid SchmidtDustan JonesGeoffrey ShortGreg WeissJack FroschJames HughesJames QuinteroJinal DoshiJJ BagnellJohn WebberJon FolksJonahJoseph EmisonJosh ThomasKenneth F LeonardKevin WarneKyle HoferMalte UblMark VasileNathan HitchingsNicholas RoseNick VirtueRatfeastRichard BromanScott GossettSigurd Ruud FrivikTim CrookhamTim StephaniTommy Mogensenسلطان الخليفيAnd a round of applause to Andreas Nautsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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