Black Holes Explained

by Alex Filippenko

Imagine a region in space where the force of gravity is so strong that nothing - not even light - can escape. A region with physical conditions so extreme that they have not yet been reproduced in any terrestrial laboratory. A region so dense that an object as tiny as a walnut would have the same mass as our entire planet. This phenomenon is a black hole: one of the most exotic, mind-boggling, and profound subjects in astrophysics. Nearly everyone has heard of black holes, but few people outside of complex scientific fields understand their true nature and their implications for our universe.

No movie, novel, or other fictional treatment of black holes matches Professor Filippenko’s absorbing presentation of the actual science behind these amazing objects. Black holes are at the heart of some of the most intriguing phenomena in the universe. Not only that, they are ideal gateways to fundamental and cutting-edge concepts in astronomy.

Genres: Science, Astronomy

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

An American astrophysicist and professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. Filippenko received a Bachelor of Arts in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1979 and a Ph.D. in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in 1984, where he was a Hertz Foundation Fellow. His research focuses on supernovae and active galaxies at optical, ultraviolet, and near-infrared wavelengths.

Reviews

[Kevin Manzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given my lack of math background anyway I decided to listen to the DVD in my car while commuting. It was a great choice. I thoroughly enjoyed Filippenko's detailed yet largely in technical lessons. Yes, some of it went over my head, but I was enthralled with his passion for teaching the subject to laymen, even if his corny jokes were occasionally cringe-inducing.