The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three esteemed astrophysicists: Roger Penrose of the United Kingdom, Reinhard Genzel of Germany, and Andrea Ghez of the United States. Their groundbreaking research and discoveries have significantly contributed to our understanding of black holes.
Recognition for Roger Penrose’s Work on Black Holes
Roger Penrose was awarded half of 2020’s Nobel Prize in Physics for robustly proving that black hole formation was indeed a solid prediction of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. This theory, which was first proposed in 1915, is a fundamental explanation of gravity, illustrating how objects maneuver in a universe where geometry is altered by matter and energy. As a result, all forms of matter and energy, from planets to light beams, follow curving paths.
Penrose demonstrated that if an excessive amount of mass congregates in a tiny region, the inevitable outcome is the creation of a black hole. At a black hole’s threshold, known as the event horizon, escape would require moving faster than light, which is currently deemed impossible. Additionally, at the heart of a black hole, where density becomes infinite, regular physics laws fail to apply.
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez’s Discovery of Supermassive Black Hole
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez were jointly awarded the other half of the prize for their discovery of a supermassive black hole situated at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. Now identified as Sagittarius A*, this black hole holds a mass four million times greater than that of the sun and is confined within an area roughly equivalent to our Solar System.
In 2019, scientists managed to obtain the first optical image of a black hole, located at the centre of the Messier 87 galaxy. Sagittarius A* is the second black hole to be photographed by the Event Horizon Telescope project, though these images are still pending release.
Significance of Andrea Ghez’s Win
With this achievement, Andrea Ghez has become only the fourth woman in history to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. Her predecessors include Marie Curie, who won the award in 1903, Maria Goeppert Mayer in 1963, and Donna Strickland in 2018. Her success serves as a milestone for women in the field of physics.
Other Notable Nobel Prize Announcements
In related news, the 2020 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology was awarded to Americans Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice, along with British scientist Michael Houghton. Their recognition came in response to their insightful discovery of the Hepatitis C Virus.
