Supermassive Black Holes - Rethinking Their Origin and Formation

Explore the fascinating world of supermassive black holes in this 36-minute scientific discussion featuring astrophysicist Priya Natarajan and moderator Brian Greene. Delve into an alternative theory challenging traditional explanations of how these cosmic giants form, suggesting they may emerge directly from collapsing galactic dust and gas rather than dying stars. Journey through the historical development of black hole physics, from early theoretical work to modern observations, covering key contributions from Chandrasekhar, Einstein, Oppenheimer, Penrose, and Wheeler. Learn about groundbreaking discoveries including Ghez's mapping of space-time around black holes, overmassive black hole galaxies (OBGs), and recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. Gain insights into primordial black holes, their evolution, and the latest observational evidence supporting new formation theories in this comprehensive exploration of one of the universe's most enigmatic phenomena.