Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us

by Heino Falcke

Overview

The International Bestseller

On April 10, 2019, award-winning astrophysicist Heino Falcke presented the first image ever captured of a black hole at an international press conference—a turning point in astronomy that Science magazine called the scientific breakthrough of the year. That photo was captured with the unthinkable commitment of an intercontinental team of astronomers who transformed the world into a global telescope. While this image achieved Falcke’s goal in making a black hole “visible” for the first time, he recognizes that the photo itself asks more questions for humanity than it answers.

Light in the Darkness takes us on Falcke’s extraordinary journey to the darkest corners of the universe. From the first humans looking up at the night sky to modern astrophysics, from the study of black holes to the still-unsolved mysteries of the universe, Falcke asks, in even the greatest triumphs of science, is there room for doubts, faith, and a God? A plea for curiosity and humility, Light in the Darkness sees one of the great minds shaping the world today as he ponders the big, pressing questions that present themselves when we look up at the stars.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063020061
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/17/2022
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	626,885
Product dimensions:	5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

Heino Falcke is a German professor of radio astronomy and astroparticle physics at the Radboud University Nijmegen. He was a winner of the 2011 Spinoza Prize. His main field of study is black holes. He lives in Berlin.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Prologue: And We Really Can See Them xi

About This Book xvii

Part I Journey Through Space and Time

1 Humankind, the Earth, and the Moon 3

2 The Solar System and Our Evolving Model of the Universe 19

Part II The Mysteries of the Universe

3 Einstein's Happiest Thought 47

4 The Milky Way and Its Stars 73

5 Dead Stars and Black Holes 81

6 Galaxies, Quasars, and the Big Bang 107

Part III The Journey to the Image

7 The Galactic Center 131

8 The Idea Behind the Image 153

9 Building a Global Telescope 167

10 Striking Out on Expedition 193

11 An Image Resolves 215

Part IV Beyond the Limits

12 Beyond the Power of Our Imagination 239

13 Beyond Einstein? 249

14 Omniscience and Limitations 267

Acknowledgments 295

List of EHT Authors 297

Glossary 301

Image Credits 313

Notes 315

Index 335

Editorial Reviews

05/24/2021

Astronomer Falcke takes a sweeping tour of the “divine cosmos” in his impassioned debut. Space, he writes, has always been tied to “knowledge and myth, faith and superstition,” and as he traces the history of astronomy, outlines the life cycle of stars, and describes his research on black holes, he poses such questions as “is there still room for uncertainty... for a god?” Falcke enthusiastically shares his scientific journey (“A black hole at the center of our own Galaxy—this somewhat mysterious idea appealed to me right away”) and breaks down the efforts behind the now iconic picture of M87, the first ever image of a black hole—four teams worked to produce, analyze, and publish the photo, and Falcke was “so tense... that it almost unbearable.” Readers less familiar with astrophysics may have some trouble along the way (the description of Hawking radiation, the radiation predicted to be emitted by black holes, is particularly knotty), though Falcke’s philosophical musings, such as on the hope offered by both religion and science, can pique. Those who have some grounding in the material will get the most out of this enthusiastic blend of science and philosophy. Agent: Markus Hoffman, RHA Literary. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Heino Falcke has produced a personal memoir of his key role in a scientific discovery that required boldness, persistence, technical expertise and complicated logistics involving hundreds of experts spread around the world. You don't need to be a scientist to enjoy this clearly written book—and it's a welcome bonus that the author offers a broader prospective on the motives that drive us to seek understanding of the cosmos and our place in it.” — SIR MARTIN REES, Astronomer Royal

“A very personal account of the incredible journey Falcke and colleagues took to achieve the seemingly impossible task of taking an image of a black hole.” — BRIAN P. SCHMIDT, Nobel Prize–Winning Astronomer and Vice- Chancellor of the Australian National University

From the Publisher

Heino Falcke has produced a personal memoir of his key role in a scientific discovery that required boldness, persistence, technical expertise and complicated logistics involving hundreds of experts spread around the world. You don't need to be a scientist to enjoy this clearly written book—and it's a welcome bonus that the author offers a broader prospective on the motives that drive us to seek understanding of the cosmos and our place in it.

SIR MARTIN REES

A very personal account of the incredible journey Falcke and colleagues took to achieve the seemingly impossible task of taking an image of a black hole.

BRIAN P. SCHMIDT

2021-03-24
A renowned German astrophysicist digs into the awesome mystery of black holes.

Falcke—who captured the first photographic evidence of black holes, an incredible breakthrough—explains what we know about these captivating entities and discusses their historic, scientific, and spiritual significance. Black holes, voracious and enigmatic, have long held humanity’s attention, even before there was proof positive of their existence. “Gravity monster, cosmic feeding machine, hellish abyss: no superlative is big enough to describe a black hole,” writes Falcke, whose accessible prose and genuine wonder make for consistently enjoyable reading. “Black holes are the dinosaurs of astrophysics, as popular as the Tyrannosaurus rex, despite or even precisely because of their fearful reputation.” The unique physical properties of black holes have launched innumerable thought experiments and continue to push the boundaries of physics. Merging crisp science writing with personal memoir, the author surveys astronomy, past and present. “Galaxies tell us of the beginning of space and time, the Big Bang,” he writes. “Black holes represent the end of time.” Falcke, a self-described man of faith as well as an expert in modern physics, argues that black holes—and the ability to capture them on film—offer endless opportunities for introspection: “What comes together in the image, then, is the entire history of physics and astronomy’s development, plus emotion, mythical excess, intelligent silence, the act of gazing up at the stars, the measurement of the Earth and of space, the understanding of space and time, the most advanced technology, global collaboration, human tension, the fear of being lost, and the hope for something fully new.” This vital insight reflects a recurring theme: what it means to be human in the pursuit of mind-bending scientific knowledge.

A compelling insider’s look at an ongoing investigative journey.

Kirkus Reviews