Astrophysical Lessons from LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA's Black Holes

Explore groundbreaking discoveries from gravitational-wave observations in this physics seminar presented by Maya Fishbach from the University of Toronto. Delve into the findings from over 70 gravitational-wave sources detected by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, including mergers between black holes, neutron stars, and mixed neutron star-black hole systems. Learn about the formation, evolution, and cosmic distribution of black holes while examining their connections to massive star deaths, black hole growth throughout cosmic history, high-redshift star formation, and globular cluster characteristics. Gain insights into the latest astrophysical research that helps unravel fundamental questions about these mysterious cosmic phenomena.