On this day in space! Aug. 8, 1931: Happy birthday to a black hole pioneer! (Image Credit: Space.com)
On Aug. 8, 1931, English theoretical physicist Sir Roger Penrose was born, meaning today marks his 93rd birthday. Penrose’s contributions to physics have been absolutely integral to our understanding of black holes.
Penrose was presented with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020 for the 1965 “Penrose Singularity Theorem,” which shows that the formation of black holes is predicted by Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity and general relativity.
Penrose shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics with researchers Reinhart Genzel and Andrea Ghez, who proved that the radio source at the heart of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), is a supermassive black hole.
Related: In the last 25 years, black hole physicists have uncovered the unimaginable
Beyond the halls of academia, Penrose is a powerful and endearing voice in science communication, tackling some of the most complex and mathematically rigorous ideas. His finest work in science communication is arguably “Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe.”
In the book’s intimidating 1,099 pages, Penrose takes the reader on a journey through the various ways mathematics weaves itself into the fabric of physics. I promise I’ll finish it by Penrose’s 94th birthday next year.
–Robert Lea
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