A Brief History of Black Holes: Our Understanding of Black Holes Shapes Humanity's Predictions of the Universe's Future! From the Schwarzschild Singularity to Gravitational Waves—the Great Discovery That Hawking Was Obsessed With, Einstein Rejected, and Newton Missed!

玛西亚·芭楚莎 / 杨泓 / Sun HongguiHunan Science & Technology Press · ChinaMar 2023

Rating 4.0
Word count
118K words
Chapters
79
ISBN
9787535789853

Tags

Popular Science AstrophysicsSpace ExplorationSpace-Time MysteriesRelativityHistory of ScienceScience EnlightenmentEinsteinHawkingCuriosityHardcore Science

Summary

The most thrilling book about the universe since A Brief History of Time! It reveals how the ultimate evolution of stars reshapes the cosmos. ★ What kind of celestial object is a black hole? If not even light can escape, why does "Hawking radiation" exist? ★ What lies inside a black hole? Why can't relativity explain it? How does quantum mechanics describe a black hole from the microscopic perspective? ★ How does the dent in spacetime create a singularity? What do the successive discoveries of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and quasars reveal about the development of black hole theory and humanity's search for black holes? ★ Is Cygnus X-1, the "number one black hole suspect in the universe," really a black hole? Have you heard of the "spaghettification effect"? Would you like to take a fantastic journey into a black hole? Since its birth, black hole theory has been controversial, but that has not stopped it from becoming a focus of astrophysical research and a subject of widespread fascination. Marcia Bartusiak's Black Hole takes time as its sequence and comprehensively explains how the birth and development of this great theory are closely intertwined with and mutually reinforce the evolution of fundamental physics, and how research into the nature of black holes will bring us the unified theory Einstein dreamed of, thereby solving the ultimate problem in physics. The author also vividly and clearly describes the mysterious origins and strange properties of black holes, their dominant position in the universe, and their profound impact on the future of the universe, recreating the clash of ideas and fearless innovation displayed by top physicists such as Einstein and Hawking in this most bewildering scientific exploration. It is a magnificent history of the development and discovery of black hole theory.

Editor's review

This is a popular science work centered on the century-long evolution of black hole theory. The author places conceptual breakthroughs in astrophysics back into the historical scene of scientists' debates and observational discoveries, letting readers see how theory gradually took shape through entanglement with doubt, misjudgment, and revision. The book not only explains what a black hole is but also focuses on the intellectual thread from the Schwarzschild singularity and Hawking radiation to gravitational wave detection, making the tension between relativity and quantum mechanics clear and tangible. For general readers, its value lies in providing a historical thread for understanding modern cosmology rather than piling up formulas; for readers with some physics background, its sorting of observational clues such as Cygnus X-1, neutron stars, and quasars also helps ground abstract concepts in concrete discoveries. Read this book with the question "how is theory verified?" in mind, and experience the twists and charm of scientific exploration in the clash of scientists' views.

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Reading tips

  1. Read the table of contents first to clarify the timeline, then read in chapter order, avoiding skipping key nodes in the theoretical evolution.
  2. When encountering relativity or quantum mechanics concepts, do not try to memorize formulas; grasp the physical picture the author is explaining.
  3. After each stage, restate in your own words the core controversy and evidence of that stage to test your understanding.
  4. Pair the reading with simple astronomy documentaries or open-course clips to build intuitive impressions of objects such as neutron stars and gravitational waves.

About the publisher

Hunan Science & Technology Press China · Founded in 1979

Hunan Science & Technology Press has long focused on science popularization and medical publishing, balancing academic depth with accessibility for general readers. Among the 462 titles in the database are Richard Feynman's classic lectures on QED, the nature of physical laws, and relativity in the "Approaching Feynman" series, as well as general-audience works such as George Gamow's One, Two, Three... Infinity and Sean Carroll's The Big Picture. Its paleontology and dinosaur list includes Gregory S. Paul's Princeton field guides and authors such as Xing Lida. Hermann Weyl's Symmetry further reflects the press's attention to classic works bridging science and the humanities. Overall, the publisher shows a clear author profile and an emphasis on illustrated, well-rounded science publishing across both translated and original titles.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 致中国读者信
  3. 权威推荐
  4. 前言 黑洞之美
  5. 第1章 经典黑洞 引力使光无法逃逸
  6. 苹果树下开启的伟大时代
  7. 哈雷彗星的现身说法
  8. 只要是成对出现的恒星，必然彼此靠近
  9. 米歇尔设想的极限情形
  10. 如何“看”见不可见的恒星？
  11. 第2章 相对时空 物质告诉时空如何弯曲
  12. 经典力学与电磁理论不协调？
  13. 宇宙飞船上的时间要比地球上的慢？
  14. 广义相对论首胜：水星轨道额外进动43角秒
  15. 行星围绕太阳转，其实是陷入太阳制造的时空凹陷？
  16. 第3章 奇异之点 密度无穷大，体积却为零
  17. 让相对论熠熠生辉
  18. 史瓦西奇点
  19. 令一切物理定律崩溃的地方
  20. 襁褓期的黑洞
  21. 第4章 恒星危机 不可避免的引力坍塌
  22. 天狼星的摇晃
  23. 白矮星的质量上限为1.4个太阳？
  24. 超过钱德拉塞卡极限又如何？
  25. 好一个“星级玩笑”
  26. 准备好“买入”黑洞了吗？
  27. 第5章 致密星体 新星大爆发宣告了中子星的诞生
  28. 新星大爆发
  29. 恒星核将被挤压为半径极小而密度极大的中子裸球？
  30. 不同质量恒星的聚变链
  31. 物质会被压缩得如此致密吗？
  32. 第6章 永久跌落 恒星将会无限制地持续收缩
  33. 研究恒星能够避免被捕吗？
  34. 奥本海默：中子星也有质量极限
  35. 恒星坍缩，奇点再现
  36. 爱因斯坦不相信黑洞
  37. 普林斯顿的老傻瓜
  38. 第7章 恒星结局 坍缩的结果是形成黑洞
  39. 古怪金融家资助的反重力研究
  40. 惠勒：教授相对论是为了了解敌方？
  41. 阻止恒星末日
  42. 殊途同归——黑洞与冻结星
  43. 将黑洞视界上发生的事视觉化
  44. 黑洞无毛
  45. 最后一个逃生出口
  46. 第8章 宇宙之音 以崭新的方式发现宇宙
  47. 詹斯基：第一位窃听宇宙声音的人
  48. 射电星的巨大不明能量源
  49. “红移”破译奇特光谱玄机
  50. 只需一秒，便可为整个地球供电数亿亿年？
  51. 第9章 唯一类型 对于黑洞精确且唯一的描述
  52. 相对论与天文学的大融合
  53. 超大质量黑洞正是类星体的巨大能量源
  54. GPS：广义相对论在日常生活中的首次应用
  55. 克尔度规：描述旋转物体周围的时空
  56. 黑洞的唯一类型
  57. 谁将黑洞这一词语引入天文学？
  58. 第10章 黑洞旅行 如果你穿越视界进入黑洞
  59. 科学家大迁徙
  60. 越过视界的奇异旅程
  61. 在视界的边缘上，你会永远年轻
  62. 第11章 寻找黑洞 局势明朗到足以让霍金低头认输
  63. 借探月之名，行黑洞之实
  64. 天鹅座X-1：宇宙头号黑洞嫌疑犯
  65. 霍金不光彩的赌约
  66. 形状奇特的宇宙射流是如何产生的？
  67. 能量如何逃出黑洞？
  68. 命中注定的邂逅
  69. 第12章 黑洞本质 不同尺度下的黑洞会有完全不同的特征
  70. 以量子力学重塑引力理论
  71. 霍金：黑洞视界只增不减
  72. 从“黑洞有熵”到“霍金辐射”
  73. 黑洞会蒸发吗？会爆炸吗？
  74. 基于量子力学的黑洞
  75. 物理学上的终极问题
  76. 结语 引力波探测与黑洞
  77. 黑洞大事记
  78. 译后记 黑洞研究的全景图
  79. 玛西亚·芭楚莎访谈录

FAQ

Can I understand this book without a physics background? Yes. The book is mainly historical narrative and conceptual explanation and does not rely on formula derivations. Readers only need curiosity about the universe and black holes; when encountering terms such as relativity and quantum mechanics, slow down and understand their physical meaning from context. High school physics knowledge will make reading smoother.
How is this book different from A Brief History of Time? A Brief History of Time focuses more on the overall cosmological picture and Hawking's own theoretical perspective, while this book takes the development history of black hole theory as its main line, connecting the discovery process from the Schwarzschild singularity to gravitational wave detection and presenting debates and observational clues from multiple scientists, with a narrative more oriented toward scientific history.
Does the book cover Hawking radiation and gravitational waves? Yes. The material shows that the book covers from the Schwarzschild singularity to gravitational waves and involves Hawking radiation, Cygnus X-1, neutron stars, quasars, and other content. Readers can follow the development of black hole theory and see how these concepts were proposed and discussed in scientific debates and observational discoveries.
Is it suitable as extracurricular reading for middle school students? It is suitable for middle school students interested in astronomy and with some reading patience. The scientific history narrative and personal stories can spark interest, but some physics concepts require repeated reading. It is advisable to read chapters of interest first, then revisit the theoretical thread, without insisting on understanding every detail in one go.

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About the author

玛西亚·芭楚莎 Author

Marcia Bartusiak is a writer of popular science. Public information about her is limited, and details such as her nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background remain unclear. One of her works is held in the collection: A Brief History of Black Holes: Our Understanding of Black Holes Shapes Humanity's Predictions for the Future of the Universe! From the Schwarzschild Singularity to Gravitational Waves—the Great Discovery That Hawking Was Fascinated By, Einstein Rejected, and Newton Missed! Judging from the title and its classification, the book is a popular work in astronomy and physics. It traces the proposal and evolution of the concept of black holes, linking key milestones such as the Schwarzschild singularity and gravitational waves, and touches on the attitudes and contributions of scientists including Hawking, Einstein, and Newton. Bartusiak writes for general readers, emphasizing the historical development of scientific discovery and placing abstract theories within the context of people and events, balancing knowledge with readability. The book suits readers interested in cosmology and the history of science.

杨泓 Author

Yang Hong is an author about whom limited public information is available. Nine of his works are held in the collection, spanning a notably wide range of subjects. His representative titles include history, such as The Tudor Century: A Chronicle of Life in England's Golden Age, 1485–1603, and archaeology, as in A Hundred Years of Archaeology: Rediscovering China. He also moves into technology and science, covering artificial intelligence and technological innovation in The Inescapable War of Technological Innovation, and topics in black holes, cosmology and the life sciences in A Brief History of Black Holes, Beyond Biocentrism, The Grand Design of Life, and Genes, Viruses and Breathing. The collection commonly classifies his work under history, artificial intelligence, popular science and medicine. His writing tends toward accessible, knowledge-oriented narratives for general readers, turning specialized subjects into readable popular science and history.

Sun Honggui Author · Chinese

Sun Honggui is a Chinese translator and an associate professor at Jiaxing University, where he has taught college physics and electrical and electronic technology for 30 years. Public information about him is limited, but his works in this collection show a sustained commitment to translating popular science, particularly in astronomy and the life sciences. He has participated in translating books such as A Brief History of Black Holes, Beyond Biocentrism, The Selfish Gene (as translated title), and Very Short Introductions: Galaxies, which address black hole research, predictions about the future of the universe, and the existence and end of life. The collection also includes his works The Inescapable War of Technological Innovation and The Big Design of Life, extending into artificial intelligence and technological innovation, with categories covering AI and popular science. His translations aim at general readers, turning frontier scientific concepts into readable narratives that help Chinese readers understand fundamental questions in cosmology and the life sciences.