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A Brief History of Black Holes: And Why Almost Everything You Know About Them is Wrong
The Moon goes around the Earth, the Earth goes around the Sun, the Sun goes around the centre of the Milky a supermassive black hole. As you read this you are currently orbiting a black hole. Money might make the world go round, but black holes make the universe go round.
Black holes are not just a curiosity; they are some of the most important objects for understanding how our universe works and how it came to be. And yet they are incredibly misunderstood; take everything you think you know about black holes and get rid of it.
This book will be a book about black holes like no other; it will journey beyond the event horizon and consider what the ‘inside’ of a black hole is truly like, and flip it on its head. It will take black holes and turn them from something beyond comprehension for the average person on the street to a level of understanding you never thought possible, through unique analogies and ideas the human brain has a hope of actually picturing. This book will show you why you should be calling them white mountains – and not black holes.
Black holes are not just a curiosity; they are some of the most important objects for understanding how our universe works and how it came to be. And yet they are incredibly misunderstood; take everything you think you know about black holes and get rid of it.
This book will be a book about black holes like no other; it will journey beyond the event horizon and consider what the ‘inside’ of a black hole is truly like, and flip it on its head. It will take black holes and turn them from something beyond comprehension for the average person on the street to a level of understanding you never thought possible, through unique analogies and ideas the human brain has a hope of actually picturing. This book will show you why you should be calling them white mountains – and not black holes.
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2022
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November 27, 2023A fairly accessible explanation of black holes by an astrophysicist. If anything there was too much effort to make it accessible, in that it was full of pop culture allusions and a lot of references to Hamilton which...you know, it's really time publishers noticed that wacky/unnecessary footnotes just *aren't very good* on ereaders. The effort involved in trying to click the damn things, discovering it's yet another Hamilton reference, and then trying to get back to your original page becomes quite tiresome, and I end up not bothering to click on any of them.
The text, when not drivelling on about Hamilton, was reasonably interesting with lots of grounding in the history of science. I have definitely taken away that black holes are neither black nor holes, are not hoovering up matter, and are actually quite small, plus now I know what an event horizon is, so that was useful.
The text, when not drivelling on about Hamilton, was reasonably interesting with lots of grounding in the history of science. I have definitely taken away that black holes are neither black nor holes, are not hoovering up matter, and are actually quite small, plus now I know what an event horizon is, so that was useful.
October 13, 2022
Me every time a new book about black holes gets published: *squealing intensifies*
I had such a good time reading this book, yes there was a lot of history and some back and forth and maybe some chapters could have been a bit lighter, but overall it was explained so easily and thoroughly, and the sense of humour was so wholesome and nerdy that I was captivated from the first page. I especially loved the paragraph in which the author talked about her own research; I wish there was more of that, it would have felt even more personal.
I'm not an astronomer but I have read my fair share of science books, and trust me when I say that this one is worth it. I wish more people talked about this, because I'm firmly convinced that the most important thing when learning about science as an amateur is to keep up to date with the new discoveries that are made every day, and this book was published in 2022 so the information it contain is pretty much as up-to-date as it gets.
November 14, 2022
Black holes are a perennially interesting topic, so anyone writing a book about them needs to provide a new angle - a USP, if you like. For this mostly interesting book, Becky Smethurst has gone for 'why everything you know about them is wrong.' This reflects the several common misconceptions about black holes, even though some of these have been so thoroughly debunked already that it's hard to believe there are too many left who hold them.
We start with an introduction to the nature of stars, bring in gravitational wells and neutron stars and get on to black holes themselves - though we soon discover they are not black, one of those misapprehensions alongside the idea that they are super gravitational vacuum cleaners, inevitably destroying everything nearby. We're told that black holes don't suck, which is sort of true as we explore the warping of space and time - though the distinction between gravitational attraction and sucking is perhaps fairly trivial if you get too close to a black hole.
Overall, then, what we get here is a fairly high level, approachable introduction to the nature of black holes, where they come from, the role of the supermassive variety in galaxies and more.
Smethurst is a little hazy on some aspects of history - for example, she says that it wasn't until the 1920s that some nebulae were considered to be galaxies, even though Herschel, amongst others, had suggested this significantly earlier. Also, and how many times do we have to say this, she repeats the myth that Giordano Bruno was the first to suggest the the stars were suns in their own right - he appears to have got the idea from Nicholas of Cusa.
It is also worrying that Smethurst seems to put those who 'challenge the existence of dark matter' on a par with flat earthers - 'It came about after over three decades worth of observations and research pointed to no other plausible conclusion' - this simply isn't true. The reality is that dark matter particles have never been detected, while modified gravity theories arguably explain more than dark matter does. Both theories have flaws, but at the moment, it's all too common for popular astronomy/astrophysics books like this to give a casual dismissal of anything but those elusive particles. That simply isn't good science.
As is also common with cosmology/astrophysics books in particular (for some reason), there is a degree of perkiness to the presentation that becomes a little wearing. Take, for instance, this opener to a chapter: 'The recipe for making a black hole is theoretically very simple, yet in practice rather difficult. Essentially, throw enough matter into a small enough space, crush it down and voila! A black hole will result.' So far, tolerable. But then Smethurst changes gear and gives us: 'Now I can't speak for everyone, but my puny noodle arms definitely aren't strong enough to crush matter down in this way, and I imagine neither are yours. I'm sure even veterans of the recipe game like Mary Berry would struggle to follow that one.' It's the kids' TV presenter's approach to science writing, which doesn't sit well with an adult audience.
This is a perfectly likeable book, but in a crowded marketplace, it struggles a little to stand out.
We start with an introduction to the nature of stars, bring in gravitational wells and neutron stars and get on to black holes themselves - though we soon discover they are not black, one of those misapprehensions alongside the idea that they are super gravitational vacuum cleaners, inevitably destroying everything nearby. We're told that black holes don't suck, which is sort of true as we explore the warping of space and time - though the distinction between gravitational attraction and sucking is perhaps fairly trivial if you get too close to a black hole.
Overall, then, what we get here is a fairly high level, approachable introduction to the nature of black holes, where they come from, the role of the supermassive variety in galaxies and more.
Smethurst is a little hazy on some aspects of history - for example, she says that it wasn't until the 1920s that some nebulae were considered to be galaxies, even though Herschel, amongst others, had suggested this significantly earlier. Also, and how many times do we have to say this, she repeats the myth that Giordano Bruno was the first to suggest the the stars were suns in their own right - he appears to have got the idea from Nicholas of Cusa.
It is also worrying that Smethurst seems to put those who 'challenge the existence of dark matter' on a par with flat earthers - 'It came about after over three decades worth of observations and research pointed to no other plausible conclusion' - this simply isn't true. The reality is that dark matter particles have never been detected, while modified gravity theories arguably explain more than dark matter does. Both theories have flaws, but at the moment, it's all too common for popular astronomy/astrophysics books like this to give a casual dismissal of anything but those elusive particles. That simply isn't good science.
As is also common with cosmology/astrophysics books in particular (for some reason), there is a degree of perkiness to the presentation that becomes a little wearing. Take, for instance, this opener to a chapter: 'The recipe for making a black hole is theoretically very simple, yet in practice rather difficult. Essentially, throw enough matter into a small enough space, crush it down and voila! A black hole will result.' So far, tolerable. But then Smethurst changes gear and gives us: 'Now I can't speak for everyone, but my puny noodle arms definitely aren't strong enough to crush matter down in this way, and I imagine neither are yours. I'm sure even veterans of the recipe game like Mary Berry would struggle to follow that one.' It's the kids' TV presenter's approach to science writing, which doesn't sit well with an adult audience.
This is a perfectly likeable book, but in a crowded marketplace, it struggles a little to stand out.
January 24, 2023
3.5 Stars
This was an interesting non fiction book that discussed black holes and other related scientific ideas. I liked it but there are other space books I prefer.
This was an interesting non fiction book that discussed black holes and other related scientific ideas. I liked it but there are other space books I prefer.
October 3, 2022
"Black holes don't suck!"
If you take nothing else with you from this book, I think that's what Smethurst would want you to remember. They are not "endless hoovers." Nor are they black, but rather the brightest shining objects in the universe. Sort of.
"Dr. Becky," as the author names herself, has quickly become my favorite astrophysicist. And she doesn't disappoint with this book. It's packed full of easily digestible science - which says something considering the ridiculous scale and complexity of what she tackles here! It is of course not because I'm brilliant and totally get it, but because she is really, really good at communicating it in a way that makes it both understandable and relatable. All the while managing to not infantilize me.
In fact, if anything, she brings herself down to a dorky nerd-level of fantasy and Disney references - not to mention a few Taylor Swift mentions - that makes her all the more relatable. And then she knocks us flat on our asses, wowing with science. It's a fantastic combo!
This "Brief History of Black Holes" is of course primarily a history of our own discovery and understanding of the phenomena, coupled with a deep dive of the science of black holes themselves. It's a fascinating and captivating history of Smethurst's own field. And it's a reminder of how young the field is. How much we've learned in such a short time, how much we have yet to learn, and how much we can never learn. Black holes, after all, will forever be mysteries. We can't study the data that can't escape. But oh how fascinating that which we can study is - I'm just glad there are smarty people out there who study this, with the talent to make it both entertaining and informative for us plebes.
Not only do I put this book down a more knowledgeable human being, I had a blast acquiring that knowledge. It all comes down to the author's ability to make something this dense ( :D ) truly enjoyable and funny. Awesome, read it!!
Oh, and this is someone who loves what she does, her enthusiasm for the subject... it shines as brightly as a black hole! To her, at least, black holes really do not suck - in any way, shape, or form. In fact, she thinks it would be kinda cool if we had one right here in our solar system.
And maybe we do have just that...
If you take nothing else with you from this book, I think that's what Smethurst would want you to remember. They are not "endless hoovers." Nor are they black, but rather the brightest shining objects in the universe. Sort of.
"Dr. Becky," as the author names herself, has quickly become my favorite astrophysicist. And she doesn't disappoint with this book. It's packed full of easily digestible science - which says something considering the ridiculous scale and complexity of what she tackles here! It is of course not because I'm brilliant and totally get it, but because she is really, really good at communicating it in a way that makes it both understandable and relatable. All the while managing to not infantilize me.
In fact, if anything, she brings herself down to a dorky nerd-level of fantasy and Disney references - not to mention a few Taylor Swift mentions - that makes her all the more relatable. And then she knocks us flat on our asses, wowing with science. It's a fantastic combo!
This "Brief History of Black Holes" is of course primarily a history of our own discovery and understanding of the phenomena, coupled with a deep dive of the science of black holes themselves. It's a fascinating and captivating history of Smethurst's own field. And it's a reminder of how young the field is. How much we've learned in such a short time, how much we have yet to learn, and how much we can never learn. Black holes, after all, will forever be mysteries. We can't study the data that can't escape. But oh how fascinating that which we can study is - I'm just glad there are smarty people out there who study this, with the talent to make it both entertaining and informative for us plebes.
Not only do I put this book down a more knowledgeable human being, I had a blast acquiring that knowledge. It all comes down to the author's ability to make something this dense ( :D ) truly enjoyable and funny. Awesome, read it!!
Oh, and this is someone who loves what she does, her enthusiasm for the subject... it shines as brightly as a black hole! To her, at least, black holes really do not suck - in any way, shape, or form. In fact, she thinks it would be kinda cool if we had one right here in our solar system.
And maybe we do have just that...
September 28, 2023
Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist, simplifies complex physics and astronomy for a general audience. Her book covers star illumination, nuclear fusion, Einstein's E=mc2, star death (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes), and relativity.
Throughout, the book weaves in entertaining stories of the key scientists involved, bringing humanity to the tale of this scientific journey. The author has an engaging and conversational tone that makes you feel like you're learning from a friend.
By structuring it as a chronological scientific journey, the reader can see how each discovery led to the next. The stories of perseverance by the scientists are inspiring.
A Brief History of Black Holes is well-researched, drawing from sources like scientific papers.
Throughout, the book weaves in entertaining stories of the key scientists involved, bringing humanity to the tale of this scientific journey. The author has an engaging and conversational tone that makes you feel like you're learning from a friend.
By structuring it as a chronological scientific journey, the reader can see how each discovery led to the next. The stories of perseverance by the scientists are inspiring.
A Brief History of Black Holes is well-researched, drawing from sources like scientific papers.
January 14, 2023
I had read 30 pages on november 13th, put the book away for 2 months and finished it in 2 days and it was quite a ride. I absolutely love the personal touch the author has added to the book. It felt like a conversation with her rather than her explaining me something. However I do have to say that some things felt repetitive or overdone. Maybe it’s also because I already know quite a lot about black holes so most information in the book wasn’t really new or surprising to me. But as the title suggests is merely a brief history of blackholes and I liked the examples she explained. I also love how she repeatedly pointed out how sexist men were when it came to studying this topic. Oh and the Taylor Swift references were cheff’s kiss!!
Overall a solid 3.5/5 stars
Overall a solid 3.5/5 stars
March 21, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded down because I am annoyed with it.
Positives: the history of various astronomical concepts, observations and results is well documented. The book would be a good introduction to anyone who is learning about black holes and astronomy for the first time.
Negatives: there are a few little factual errors in the book that I am surprised were not checked. An example: the book says Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii is the largest (optical) telescope under construction. Which is patently false, as the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile is 9 meters larger. The TMT is also mired in controversy and its construction is halted, while ELT is the one actually being constructed. No idea why the author would make the claim.
I also don't like the language and style of writing (constant pop culture references which will be outdated in 5-10 years). The final third of the book also feels less well put together.
Positives: the history of various astronomical concepts, observations and results is well documented. The book would be a good introduction to anyone who is learning about black holes and astronomy for the first time.
Negatives: there are a few little factual errors in the book that I am surprised were not checked. An example: the book says Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii is the largest (optical) telescope under construction. Which is patently false, as the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile is 9 meters larger. The TMT is also mired in controversy and its construction is halted, while ELT is the one actually being constructed. No idea why the author would make the claim.
I also don't like the language and style of writing (constant pop culture references which will be outdated in 5-10 years). The final third of the book also feels less well put together.
April 5, 2025
Nothing I know about black holes is wrong.
That's not really true, as going to the other extreme and saying astrophysicists know diddly-squat about black holes would be much more accurate (and I am not even an astrophysicist), but if the title of this book is going to be a bit sensationalist, then I will too.
I got this book for Christmas from a family member (I have conveniently forgotten which one), and though I suspected I'm not the target audience for this book, as I have far more astro/physics knowledge than the average reader, I like high-energy astrophysics, and just because a book is targeted more towards the general demographic doesn't mean that I can't learn anything from it. But I started losing optimism when the author clarified in the prologue that the Andromeda galaxy was the one that used to be a Mac background...
This book is very ambitious. It tries to explain the history of black hole research as well as some of the science, but despite black hole research being a pretty new field, there is a lot to cover, and in an attempt to explain things to an audience that doesn't have a PhD in physics, topics like stellar evolution, nuclear fusion, the discovery of the electron, atomic clocks, LIGO, the discovery of Pluto (and the reclassification of Pluto), planetary orbits, spin theory, the Drake equation, etc. have been sprinkled in. You could teach a whole graduate level college course on just accretion disk theory (which occupies a small fraction of this book), and while I don't envy the author for having to explain so many difficult concepts to the average reader, the result is a jumbled mess, with nothing being explained quite enough. And, I am not convinced that all of this extra content was necessary--do you really need a full 3 pages on the discovery of the spectrograph to explain stellar classification? This book would have really benefitted from a smaller scope.
This book just doesn't seem to know what it wanted to be. I mentioned the history of black hole science is a major part of this book, and it is--about half of the index is names of scientific pioneers that were sprinkled so aggressively through the book that there was probably an average of 2 per page. I actually found the history stuff really cool; I love finding out how we found out stuff, and while none of the science in this book was new to me (except for maybe Hawking radiation), I didn't know the origin of the name "black hole" (grisly stuff), or the history of most of the older discoveries upon which modern-day astronomy is built. But this on top of the actual science was way too much, and the order in which scientific concepts and historical tidbits are introduced felt all over the place. I can't say how understandable this book is to the Average Joe, but there were definitely concepts that I would have put
in different places, and some important things were glossed over entirely (e.x. if you're going to use the word "gradient" multiple times, define it! and the definition of a blackbody was muddled--humans are not blackbodies, though the wording makes it seem like she's implying that).
On the scientific side...I'm not going to go toe-to-toe with an Oxford astrophysicist,* but I have a strong discomfort with her insistence that a black hole is really bright. When this claim was made on the inside jacket and in the prologue, I was interested in her reasoning, because I don't consider black holes to be bright at all--7 months of wrestling with the Kerr metric made me fairly convinced that black holes don't let anything out. I was eager to find out, as advertised, that my thought process was wrong.
It's, uh, not. Her explanation is what I suspected: that many supermassive black holes have extraordinarily bright accretion rings, making black holes "bright." I may be wrong, but while I consider the accretion ring to be part of the black hole's geometry, I don't think it's fair to say the black hole is bright. Accretion rings are bright. The singularity of a black hole is surrounded by an event horizon, which doesn't let any light out. Is an accretion ring part of a "black hole"? Or does it surround it? I know that this seems like a bit more of an etymological discussion than an...actually important one, but "black holes are actually really bright" doesn't sit right with me. And it doesn't sit right with me because, like the title, it seems a bit clickbait-y. If you open the inside jacket of this book in the bookstore and see "black holes aren't really 'black'," you're intrigued, right? I mean, that goes against the name. Why are they called black holes if they aren't black? How is your conception wrong? Did Interstellar lie to you?! But no, your misconception (on this part) isn't wrong, especially if you were thinking of the EHT image (which does have an accretion ring--the bright bit--in it). The part of the black hole that the average person is thinking of is, indeed, very black.
Finally, the pop culture references in this book are too much for me. I counted 4 Hamilton references, 3 Taylor Swift references, 3 Hitchhiker's references, one Bake-Off reference, one WOT reference, etc. I'm not saying that space education can't be light and fun, but this was just not something I was vibing with, especially when I was already feeling let down by the (lack of) depth of the science and the jumbled structure.
I may be judging this book too harshly because it wasn't intended for someone who does astrophysical research, but I was genuinely hoping that I would come out of this book having learned something cool that I didn't already know. And the one thing I haven't learned that was in this--Hawking radiation--is about as clear as mud to me after finishing this, so I'm not confident that an average reader would have been able to follow everything in this book (on a structuring and explanation standpoint, initial physics knowledge aside).
I'm not giving this book a 2/5 because Nothing I Know About Black Holes Is Wrong. I'm giving this a 2/5 because it was honestly just a mess.
Ps. Violins don't have frets! Holy guacamole!
*I have asked a Cambridge astrophysicist for his opinion, and he agrees with me--black holes aren't bright. My statements have now been fact-checked by a True British Patriot.
That's not really true, as going to the other extreme and saying astrophysicists know diddly-squat about black holes would be much more accurate (and I am not even an astrophysicist), but if the title of this book is going to be a bit sensationalist, then I will too.
I got this book for Christmas from a family member (I have conveniently forgotten which one), and though I suspected I'm not the target audience for this book, as I have far more astro/physics knowledge than the average reader, I like high-energy astrophysics, and just because a book is targeted more towards the general demographic doesn't mean that I can't learn anything from it. But I started losing optimism when the author clarified in the prologue that the Andromeda galaxy was the one that used to be a Mac background...
This book is very ambitious. It tries to explain the history of black hole research as well as some of the science, but despite black hole research being a pretty new field, there is a lot to cover, and in an attempt to explain things to an audience that doesn't have a PhD in physics, topics like stellar evolution, nuclear fusion, the discovery of the electron, atomic clocks, LIGO, the discovery of Pluto (and the reclassification of Pluto), planetary orbits, spin theory, the Drake equation, etc. have been sprinkled in. You could teach a whole graduate level college course on just accretion disk theory (which occupies a small fraction of this book), and while I don't envy the author for having to explain so many difficult concepts to the average reader, the result is a jumbled mess, with nothing being explained quite enough. And, I am not convinced that all of this extra content was necessary--do you really need a full 3 pages on the discovery of the spectrograph to explain stellar classification? This book would have really benefitted from a smaller scope.
This book just doesn't seem to know what it wanted to be. I mentioned the history of black hole science is a major part of this book, and it is--about half of the index is names of scientific pioneers that were sprinkled so aggressively through the book that there was probably an average of 2 per page. I actually found the history stuff really cool; I love finding out how we found out stuff, and while none of the science in this book was new to me (except for maybe Hawking radiation), I didn't know the origin of the name "black hole" (grisly stuff), or the history of most of the older discoveries upon which modern-day astronomy is built. But this on top of the actual science was way too much, and the order in which scientific concepts and historical tidbits are introduced felt all over the place. I can't say how understandable this book is to the Average Joe, but there were definitely concepts that I would have put
in different places, and some important things were glossed over entirely (e.x. if you're going to use the word "gradient" multiple times, define it! and the definition of a blackbody was muddled--humans are not blackbodies, though the wording makes it seem like she's implying that).
On the scientific side...I'm not going to go toe-to-toe with an Oxford astrophysicist,* but I have a strong discomfort with her insistence that a black hole is really bright. When this claim was made on the inside jacket and in the prologue, I was interested in her reasoning, because I don't consider black holes to be bright at all--7 months of wrestling with the Kerr metric made me fairly convinced that black holes don't let anything out. I was eager to find out, as advertised, that my thought process was wrong.
It's, uh, not. Her explanation is what I suspected: that many supermassive black holes have extraordinarily bright accretion rings, making black holes "bright." I may be wrong, but while I consider the accretion ring to be part of the black hole's geometry, I don't think it's fair to say the black hole is bright. Accretion rings are bright. The singularity of a black hole is surrounded by an event horizon, which doesn't let any light out. Is an accretion ring part of a "black hole"? Or does it surround it? I know that this seems like a bit more of an etymological discussion than an...actually important one, but "black holes are actually really bright" doesn't sit right with me. And it doesn't sit right with me because, like the title, it seems a bit clickbait-y. If you open the inside jacket of this book in the bookstore and see "black holes aren't really 'black'," you're intrigued, right? I mean, that goes against the name. Why are they called black holes if they aren't black? How is your conception wrong? Did Interstellar lie to you?! But no, your misconception (on this part) isn't wrong, especially if you were thinking of the EHT image (which does have an accretion ring--the bright bit--in it). The part of the black hole that the average person is thinking of is, indeed, very black.
Finally, the pop culture references in this book are too much for me. I counted 4 Hamilton references, 3 Taylor Swift references, 3 Hitchhiker's references, one Bake-Off reference, one WOT reference, etc. I'm not saying that space education can't be light and fun, but this was just not something I was vibing with, especially when I was already feeling let down by the (lack of) depth of the science and the jumbled structure.
I may be judging this book too harshly because it wasn't intended for someone who does astrophysical research, but I was genuinely hoping that I would come out of this book having learned something cool that I didn't already know. And the one thing I haven't learned that was in this--Hawking radiation--is about as clear as mud to me after finishing this, so I'm not confident that an average reader would have been able to follow everything in this book (on a structuring and explanation standpoint, initial physics knowledge aside).
I'm not giving this book a 2/5 because Nothing I Know About Black Holes Is Wrong. I'm giving this a 2/5 because it was honestly just a mess.
Ps. Violins don't have frets! Holy guacamole!
*I have asked a Cambridge astrophysicist for his opinion, and he agrees with me--black holes aren't bright. My statements have now been fact-checked by a True British Patriot.
October 6, 2023
3.5-4 - Audiobook.
Smethurst has pulled off a real coup here and something few science writers have managed as well as she has. Super accessible and *fun* read about the misconceptions, the discoveries and the personalities behind our still very early understanding of the universe’s greatest mystery.
It’s full of great facts that you can drop into conversation that will leave your friends saying: “what the fuck are you on about?”
For audiobook listeners, Smethurst’s narration is a winner. Full of personality, humour and enthusiasm that lifts her obvious knowledge to another level.
Support women in science. Support women in books! 📚
Smethurst has pulled off a real coup here and something few science writers have managed as well as she has. Super accessible and *fun* read about the misconceptions, the discoveries and the personalities behind our still very early understanding of the universe’s greatest mystery.
It’s full of great facts that you can drop into conversation that will leave your friends saying: “what the fuck are you on about?”
For audiobook listeners, Smethurst’s narration is a winner. Full of personality, humour and enthusiasm that lifts her obvious knowledge to another level.
Support women in science. Support women in books! 📚
September 29, 2024
I absolutely ADORED this book. I want to start by saying that reading this in audiobook format is absolutely paramount to the full enjoyment of this book. It was read by the author and while there are some cases where that just doesn't work, this was certainly not one of them.
The author's passion and interest in the subject sparkled throughout every chapter and it felt like a fun and passionate conversation rather than a book. I got a refresher on things I already knew and learned new things too!
All in all, this was such a blast to listen to and I highly recommend it for those familiar AND those not familiar with astrophysics
The author's passion and interest in the subject sparkled throughout every chapter and it felt like a fun and passionate conversation rather than a book. I got a refresher on things I already knew and learned new things too!
All in all, this was such a blast to listen to and I highly recommend it for those familiar AND those not familiar with astrophysics
September 23, 2022
Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist with a great love of black holes, and a desire to share her enthusiasm for them with the rest of us.
She tries to cover, concisely but with absorbing detail, everything important about them, starting with the important facts that they're not black, and they're not holes. They're not black because an active black hole has an accretion disk which generates a great deal of light and other radiation. They're not holes, because that absolute darkness inside the accretion disk isn't a void. It's an immensely dense accumulation of matter, usually many, many times the mass of a star--certainly our star. Smethurst compares black holes to mountains, which I find not personally satisfying, but entirely reasonable.
More unexpected is her comparison of black holes to sofas; things get swallowed up and lost in them, never to be recovered.
But this isn't just a book of what we should compare black holes to (she says she prefers "dark stars," but admits that's a lost chance), but their history, formation, development, and possible end.
The formation of stellar mass black holes is, apparently, pretty well understood. If a collapsing star at the end of its life is massive enough, when it collapses, it will collapse not into a neutron star, but a black hole. The problem is supermassive spring holes. There simply doesn't appear to have been enough time since the birth of the universe for supermassive black holes to form. And yet, we're now reasonably certain that every galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center. Where do they come from?
Perhaps from the collision of smaller black holes? It's one of the things Smethurst looks at.
She also discusses the first detection of gravity waves, the first picture of a black hole, and the fact that black holes will, eventually, evaporate. They'll evaporate very slowly, though, and only after they've stopped growing, and it's not at all clear that the largest black holes will have time to evaporate before the end of the universe, depending on what sort of end the universe is going to have. However, we do still have a shot at finding a primordial black hole, very small in size, which might have had time to evaporate. If we detect that, we may be able to detect Hawking radiation, which we're unlikely to be around to detect from any supermassive black hole.
There's lots of fascinating information in this book, and Smethurst has both an engaging enthusiasm, and a lively sense of humor. She also has a good reading voice, which overall makes this a wonderful book to listen to.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
She tries to cover, concisely but with absorbing detail, everything important about them, starting with the important facts that they're not black, and they're not holes. They're not black because an active black hole has an accretion disk which generates a great deal of light and other radiation. They're not holes, because that absolute darkness inside the accretion disk isn't a void. It's an immensely dense accumulation of matter, usually many, many times the mass of a star--certainly our star. Smethurst compares black holes to mountains, which I find not personally satisfying, but entirely reasonable.
More unexpected is her comparison of black holes to sofas; things get swallowed up and lost in them, never to be recovered.
But this isn't just a book of what we should compare black holes to (she says she prefers "dark stars," but admits that's a lost chance), but their history, formation, development, and possible end.
The formation of stellar mass black holes is, apparently, pretty well understood. If a collapsing star at the end of its life is massive enough, when it collapses, it will collapse not into a neutron star, but a black hole. The problem is supermassive spring holes. There simply doesn't appear to have been enough time since the birth of the universe for supermassive black holes to form. And yet, we're now reasonably certain that every galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center. Where do they come from?
Perhaps from the collision of smaller black holes? It's one of the things Smethurst looks at.
She also discusses the first detection of gravity waves, the first picture of a black hole, and the fact that black holes will, eventually, evaporate. They'll evaporate very slowly, though, and only after they've stopped growing, and it's not at all clear that the largest black holes will have time to evaporate before the end of the universe, depending on what sort of end the universe is going to have. However, we do still have a shot at finding a primordial black hole, very small in size, which might have had time to evaporate. If we detect that, we may be able to detect Hawking radiation, which we're unlikely to be around to detect from any supermassive black hole.
There's lots of fascinating information in this book, and Smethurst has both an engaging enthusiasm, and a lively sense of humor. She also has a good reading voice, which overall makes this a wonderful book to listen to.
Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
August 17, 2023
There was a lot of information presented in a more-or-less digestible manner for common folk, but some of it felt a little confusing due to the roundabout explanations. There were also too many pop culture references and half-page footnotes about the author's personal life (when I see a footnote in a book like this, I'm expecting further references or an interesting tidbit related to the subject but doesn't fit in with the current passage, not copious shoutouts to Taylor Swift, Lin-Manuel Miranda, etc. that don't add any value). I understand the target audience is meant to be the general public, and throwing these in is meant to make the content more relatable.
December 11, 2023
She quoted Taylor Swift and LOTR, what more is there to say
March 17, 2024
Dr Becky Smethurst writes what is both an excellent introduction to and deeper dive (as it were) into the science of Black Holes but also, due to the necessary digressions into associated areas for sufficient background, into astrophysics more broadly.
She starts with the very basics, and I did wonder whether this was a little too introductory for me (I have no formal education in the field, but love popular science and have read several works by the likes of Sean Carroll, Brian Greene, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Carlo Rovelli - hell, I think I understood maybe half of Hawking's A Brief History of Time!) however Smethurst builds up the complexity level nicely and I learnt much I didn't already know. What's more, her writing is both clear and engaging in a way that ensures I understand it, on a non-mathematical, layman's level at any rate.
And it is this delivery that takes this to a five-star read. The author - despite her insistence that "space is easy, words are hard" - finds a balance between being very informal and very precise and informative, that really got across her passion for the subject in a way that reminded me somewhat of Helen Czerski, perhaps. This was certainly aided by Dr Smethurst's own reading of the audiobook, which is extremely lively and engaging which leads to believe she'd be an excellent lecturer, and I see that she is a science communicator on Youtube and a podcaster. Yes, I will be subscribing.
Very highly recommended or anyone interested in astrophysics, who isn't already an expert.
She starts with the very basics, and I did wonder whether this was a little too introductory for me (I have no formal education in the field, but love popular science and have read several works by the likes of Sean Carroll, Brian Greene, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Carlo Rovelli - hell, I think I understood maybe half of Hawking's A Brief History of Time!) however Smethurst builds up the complexity level nicely and I learnt much I didn't already know. What's more, her writing is both clear and engaging in a way that ensures I understand it, on a non-mathematical, layman's level at any rate.
And it is this delivery that takes this to a five-star read. The author - despite her insistence that "space is easy, words are hard" - finds a balance between being very informal and very precise and informative, that really got across her passion for the subject in a way that reminded me somewhat of Helen Czerski, perhaps. This was certainly aided by Dr Smethurst's own reading of the audiobook, which is extremely lively and engaging which leads to believe she'd be an excellent lecturer, and I see that she is a science communicator on Youtube and a podcaster. Yes, I will be subscribing.
Very highly recommended or anyone interested in astrophysics, who isn't already an expert.
January 15, 2023
I highly recommend the audio as Dr. Becky narrates it herself and you can just hear her passion and excitement for the topic as she reads.
As for the text itself, it is an accessible and entertaining read for anyone interested or curious about astrophysics in general as well as black holes. It makes a good intro text for anyone new to the topics and goes into enough depth with a conversational tone that even those with a bit more knowledge won't get bored. All in all, I recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in black holes and space.
As for the text itself, it is an accessible and entertaining read for anyone interested or curious about astrophysics in general as well as black holes. It makes a good intro text for anyone new to the topics and goes into enough depth with a conversational tone that even those with a bit more knowledge won't get bored. All in all, I recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in black holes and space.
December 2, 2022
Really great but, lovingly, far too many Hamilton references from the millennial author LOL
December 9, 2024
I always have a blast reading astronomy books and really enjoyed this one.
There was a black hole on the page.
There was a black hole on the page.
September 12, 2022
This was PHENOMENAL! I 100% recommend the audiobook version - it is read by the author and is quite simply a joy. I am not in any way shape or form an astrophysicist or a space nerd, but Dr. Smethurst deftly and delightfully relays all the information in this book in a way that is easy to understand. I loved hearing her passion come through this audiobook; I just can't get over how much fun this was to read!
November 30, 2022
Dr. Becky’s writing is both easy to understand and compelling! It’s clear she loves astronomy and astrophysics immensely, but her ability to explain concepts and the history of these concepts in digestible ways is an incredible feat. I didn’t realize that she was an astronomy Youtuber when I started but it makes sense in retrospect, she’s had plenty of practice describing and explaining difficult concepts to a broad audience. Content-wise, not 100% my jam but I still enjoyed it for what it was.
February 5, 2023
REVIEW: A Brief History of Black Holes by Becky Smethurst
Read this if you like: Calling all amateur astrophysicists and curious friends!
SUMMARY: Right now, you are orbiting a black hole. The Earth goes around the Sun, and the Sun goes around the centre of the Milky Way: a supermassive black hole—the strangest and most misunderstood phenomenon in the galaxy.In A Brief History of Black Holes University of Oxford astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst charts the scientific breakthroughs that have uncovered the weird and wonderful world of black holes, from the collapse of massive stars to the iconic first photographs of a black hole in 2019. A cosmic tale of discovery, you’ll learn: why black holes aren’t really ‘black,’ that you never ever want to be ‘spaghettified,’ how black holes are more like sofa cushions than hoovers, and why beyond the event horizon, the future is a direction in space rather than in time. Full of wit and learning, this captivating book explains why black holes contain the secrets to the most profound questions about our universe.
SEEING STARS
Some of my favorite quotes from the book (I paraphrase slightly):
“It was only in 2002 observations confirmed in the center of the Milky Way was a supermassive black hole.”
“That’s what science is about: admitting things we don’t know.”
“Black holes aren’t black, they are in fact the brightest objects in the universe.”
“Stop blaming your problems on Mercury in retrograde. “
Dr Becky explains very complicated information in such an easy way for us plebs to digest, it was fun! Her use of humor, footnotes and explanations on things were clear, concise and her passion for her work really shines through.
With Harry Potter, Taylor Swift and many more contemporary references, Dr Becky is now my favorite astrophysicist. You never feel left out, lost or overwhelmed and her research is impeccable.
I discussed many of these principals with my sons, who like me; find the universe and black holes fascinating.
I will definitely be purchasing all Dr Becky’s books!
RECOMMEND IT FOR: Anyone with a keen interest in black holes and its scientific history, definitely a great read!
Overall Rating: 4/5
Publish Date: August 30, 2022
Format: Trade Paper
Number of Pages: 288
Non Fiction/ Science
Thank you to @panmacmillansa for the review copy, opinions are my own.
July 6, 2024
One of the best things about reading popular science nonfiction is the way an author can take the technical and convey it to someone with only minimal to moderate background in the field. (As a physics major ages ago specializing in thermodynamics, much of the base knowledge here is familiar to me, but there have been many advancements in astronomy and astrophysics since I last set foot in a classroom.) Black holes are endlessly fascinating, and so easy to romanticize. I love how Dr Smethurst digs into some of the denser components by using language and history a layperson would know.
My favorite part of Black Holes is always the discussion of the relativity of time and kinetic time dilation when you approach the event horizon, and Smethurst dips into these details at just the right level for this book. I endlessly love the my brain tries to wrap itself around time, especially in this context. (This science of time is also one of the reasons I get picky about time travel books!)
The audiobook narration is excellent - Smethurst narrates it herself, and her joy and enthusiasm for her work comes across well!
My favorite part of Black Holes is always the discussion of the relativity of time and kinetic time dilation when you approach the event horizon, and Smethurst dips into these details at just the right level for this book. I endlessly love the my brain tries to wrap itself around time, especially in this context. (This science of time is also one of the reasons I get picky about time travel books!)
The audiobook narration is excellent - Smethurst narrates it herself, and her joy and enthusiasm for her work comes across well!
January 29, 2024
5 ⭐️
I found this book to be thoroughly informative with parts catering to people of different levels of knowledge about black holes. Whilst I had some prior rudimentary understanding of black holes, I found Dr Becky eloquently explained whatever theory or discovery was at hand.
Yes, there were many pop-culture references. However, I didn’t find them particularly annoying, yet rather serving to make Dr Becky more relatable, despite her being obviously more knowledgeable. Sometimes I think this gap between academics and the general public makes communicating science particularly difficult but was dealt with well here.
I personally enjoyed the acknowledgment of how long it takes science to progress and the roles of so many different people in different fields to contribute to a single theory. In particular, the appreciation of the women who “blazed a trail through the scientific world of men,” didn’t go amiss.
I found this book to be thoroughly informative with parts catering to people of different levels of knowledge about black holes. Whilst I had some prior rudimentary understanding of black holes, I found Dr Becky eloquently explained whatever theory or discovery was at hand.
Yes, there were many pop-culture references. However, I didn’t find them particularly annoying, yet rather serving to make Dr Becky more relatable, despite her being obviously more knowledgeable. Sometimes I think this gap between academics and the general public makes communicating science particularly difficult but was dealt with well here.
I personally enjoyed the acknowledgment of how long it takes science to progress and the roles of so many different people in different fields to contribute to a single theory. In particular, the appreciation of the women who “blazed a trail through the scientific world of men,” didn’t go amiss.
May 31, 2024
อ่านไม่ยาก คือจะบอกว่าอ่านง่ายก็เกรงใจระดับความรู้ความเข้าใจตัวเอง มีคนเคยบอกว่าถ้าอ่านเข้าใจจะเล่าให้คนอื่นฟังต่อได้ นี่พออ่านจบก็มั่นใจว่าเล่าอะไรให้ใครฟังต่อไม่ได้ว่าอ่านอะไรมา คงบอกได้แค่ว่าเกี่ยวกับหลุมดำ แล้วมันก็ไม่ได้ดำ มันไม่ได้เป็นหลุมด้วย เขาบอกว่ามันเหมือนภูเขามากกว่า (ไม่เห็นจะเข้าใจ) แล้วก็อื่นๆ อีกเยอะแยะแต่จำไม่ได้แล้ว (แต่เพิ่งอ่านจบไปนะ) คืออ่านแล้วมันสนุกอะ มุกเยอะ ตลกนิดหน่อย พยายามอธิบายเรื่องยากๆ ให้เข้าใจง่าย แล้วก็เข้าใจง่ายขึ้นมานิดหน่อยจริงๆ นะ เลยเป็นเล่มที่รู้สึกว่าดีจังเลย แต่นั่นแหละ ดีจังเลยนะ แต่ก็งงๆ เหมือนเดิม
January 12, 2024
This one is difficult to rate/review. I'm not an expert on the subject matter but to have an interest so I can't comment too greatly on the subject matter. But as an average idiot I will say that Dr Smethurst does a very good job of explaining Black Holes and other astronomy theories in simple terms.
August 19, 2025
I know absolutely nothing on the topic and was able to follow this it's a nice introduction to the basic concepts. She describes a complex topic in a lighthearted way with (to me cringy) humor.
I am normally not interested in space but it was intriguing because everything I thought I knew about black holes indeed turned out to be wrong. 🌌🌑☄️🌠
I am normally not interested in space but it was intriguing because everything I thought I knew about black holes indeed turned out to be wrong. 🌌🌑☄️🌠
May 5, 2025
Great book - loved how it was so very short
May 29, 2025
weltall ist so freaky
December 13, 2022
A Brief History of Black Holes is a fascinating and charming exploration of both how black holes work and the scientific history of how we discovered what we know about them. I'm not an astronomer, so I can't speak to the veracity of everything presented here, but this book is a fun, accessible read for the layperson who is curious about the huge, mysterious thing at the center of our galaxy (and many others).
Dr. Smethurst does a great job ensuring that the information she presents makes sense to a general audience--though at times the constant pop culture references and twee humor got a bit stale. If you don't like Taylor Swift or Hamilton, parts of this book will be a bit grating. With that said, though, I found this book to be a pleasure to read. I especially enjoyed the chapter on supermassive black holes, and the discussion towards the end about what it would be like to actually get sucked into a black hole. Turns out it's actually really hard for stuff to fall into a black hole, which I never knew before reading this book.
More than anything, this book whet my appetite for future space exploration. Highly recommend for nerds who like a little wit and fun with their pop science. Smethurst does a great job highlighting what we know about the universe, but also just how much we don't know. We have barely scratched the surface; we gotta fund more astronomy projects posthaste.
Dr. Smethurst does a great job ensuring that the information she presents makes sense to a general audience--though at times the constant pop culture references and twee humor got a bit stale. If you don't like Taylor Swift or Hamilton, parts of this book will be a bit grating. With that said, though, I found this book to be a pleasure to read. I especially enjoyed the chapter on supermassive black holes, and the discussion towards the end about what it would be like to actually get sucked into a black hole. Turns out it's actually really hard for stuff to fall into a black hole, which I never knew before reading this book.
More than anything, this book whet my appetite for future space exploration. Highly recommend for nerds who like a little wit and fun with their pop science. Smethurst does a great job highlighting what we know about the universe, but also just how much we don't know. We have barely scratched the surface; we gotta fund more astronomy projects posthaste.
October 27, 2022
4 🌟!!!
𝗔 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 - 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 ‘𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸’, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀…
I loved this book! Not only because I’m a scientist and space enthusiast but also because it was just enjoyable to read. You do not need to be an astronomer or astrophysicist to understand what’s happening in this book. The author is really great at putting physics into the most simplest terms so that almost anyone could grasp hold of the basics.
The chapter titles gave me a smile, especially once you realise why they’re named what they are. The humour is neatly chucked into the book at just the right moments - Dr Smethurst has also made ‘spaghettification” my new favourite word.
“𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 ‘𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌’ 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍: 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆. 𝑺𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝑯. 𝑫𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆’𝒔 ‘𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔’, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔”
I think I tabbed this book more than a typical fiction book! There’s so many new terms and cool analogies to focus on. My favourite being the analogy that we’re all made out of stardust or ‘supernova poop’.
If you have any interest in space, the planets or just the universe itself, you HAVE to read this book! I’m already on my fourth space documentary after reading this… the obsession has begun…. 🪐
𝗔 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 - 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 ‘𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸’, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀…
I loved this book! Not only because I’m a scientist and space enthusiast but also because it was just enjoyable to read. You do not need to be an astronomer or astrophysicist to understand what’s happening in this book. The author is really great at putting physics into the most simplest terms so that almost anyone could grasp hold of the basics.
The chapter titles gave me a smile, especially once you realise why they’re named what they are. The humour is neatly chucked into the book at just the right moments - Dr Smethurst has also made ‘spaghettification” my new favourite word.
“𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 ‘𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌’ 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍: 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆. 𝑺𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝑯. 𝑫𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆’𝒔 ‘𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔’, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔”
I think I tabbed this book more than a typical fiction book! There’s so many new terms and cool analogies to focus on. My favourite being the analogy that we’re all made out of stardust or ‘supernova poop’.
If you have any interest in space, the planets or just the universe itself, you HAVE to read this book! I’m already on my fourth space documentary after reading this… the obsession has begun…. 🪐
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