Einstein’s Monsters: The Life and Times of Black Holes

Black holes are the most extreme objects in the universe, yet every galaxy harbors a black hole at its center. In Einstein’s Monsters, distinguished astronomer Chris Impey builds on this profound discovery to explore questions at the cutting edge of cosmology: Which came first, the galaxy or its central black hole? What happens if you travel into a black hole? Impey chronicles the role black holes have played in theoretical physics-from confirming Einstein’s equations for general relativity to testing string theory. He then describes the phenomena that scientists have witnessed while observing black holes: dozens of stars swarming like bees around the dark object at the center of our galaxy; black holes performing gravitational waltzes with normal stars; the cymbal clash of two black holes colliding, releasing ripples in spacetime. Einstein’s Monsters is the incredible story of one of the most enigmatic entities in nature.