A riveting appraisal of black holes, situating them at the heart of our understanding of ourselves and the universe and informed by original interviews with more than 20 world-leading researchers and Nobel laureates
Facing Infinity is an engaging journey through the history of black holes—from the discovery that the star 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-binding 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 the solar system have shifted our views on climate change; and our race to discover more about the universe has had colonial impacts, leaving lasting ripples in our society today.
Praise for the Swedish Edition
“Without assuming any prior knowledge on the subject, the book provides an in-depth and completely up-to-date picture of the black hole phenomenon and the main protagonists in the growth of knowledge. Enander describes even complicated phenomena in an easy-to-understand, clear and lively manner, and spices it up with thought-provoking, personal reflections and tantalizing details, making the reading accessible, fun and exciting.”—BTJ
“An A in physics is not required to understand Facing Infinity. It is as much a portrayal of the people behind the discoveries.”—Vi