That black hole photo: How event horizons bend time, space, and light

The recent photo of a black hole is something extraordinary. Here's why.

  • Black holes are usually surrounded by disks of very, very bright, very hot material. And that's how we find them.
  • Black holes themselves give off no radiation at all. Any light gets absorbed into the black hole — all forms of light, from gamma rays to radio waves.
  • A black hole's gravity is so strong it actually bends space itself. What does this mean? There's no way to get out of the black hole — out of the event horizon — because space and time themselves are bent into the black hole.
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Videos

See remarkable NASA photos of a new volcano eruption

ISS astronauts and NASA satellites capture amazing photos of the Raikoke volcano eruption.

NASA
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(Getty Images/Big Think)
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Behold, close-ups of the sand from around the cosmos

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Image source: Evil Minion on Shutterstock
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Surprising Science

10 science photos that made history and changed minds

These photos of scientific heroes and accomplishments inspire awe and curiosity.

  • Science has given humanity an incalculable boost over the recent centuries, changing our lives in ways both awe-inspiring and humbling.
  • Fortunately, photography, a scientific feat in and of itself, has recorded some of the most important events, people and discoveries in science, allowing us unprecedented insight and expanding our view of the world.
  • Here are some of the most important scientific photos of history:
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Surprising Science