Facing Infinity

Facing Infinity is an engaging journey through the history of black holes-from the discovery that the dark object 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-bending 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 distant black holes have taught us more about the Earth; and our race to discover more about the universe has had colonial impacts, leaving lasting ripples in our society today.

Prologue: The Ring of Light at the Edge of the Darkness
PART I: AMONG STARS, WAR AND DARKNESS

1. The Priest Who Wanted to Weigh the Stars
2. The Dark Heart of the Milky Way
3. The Astronomer at the Mountain of Death
4. Einstein and the Blind Beetle
5. Beyond the Event Horizon
   

PART II: BLACK HOLES IN THE DEPTHS OF SPACE

1. The Death of a Star and the Spacetime Vortex
2. A Cosmic Symphony
3. Shadowhunters
4. The Origin of Giants

PART III: BLACK HOLES AND OUR PLACE ON EARTH

1. Powehi and Power Over the Land
2. The Threat From the Sea
3. Black Holes Are Our Fathers
4. Hawking's Last Journey
5. Are We Living in a Black Hole?

Acknowledgments
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