Andrew Strominger will give the Third Annual Yip Lecture on February 2, 2023.

Time: 7:00-8:00 pm ET

Location: Harvard Science Center Hall A

Title: Black Holes: The Most Mysterious Objects in the Universe

Abstract: In the last decade black holes have come to center stage in both theoretical and observational science. Theoretically, they were shown a half-century ago by Stephen Hawking and others to obey a precise but still-mysterious set of laws which imply they are paradoxically both the simplest and most complex objects in the universe. Compelling progress on this paradox has occurred recently. Observationally, they have finally and dramatically been seen in the sky, including at LIGO and the Event Horizon Telescope. Future prospects for progress on both fronts hinge on emergent symmetries occurring near the black holes. An elementary presentation of aspects of these topics and their interplay will be given.

Andrew Strominger is the Gwill E. York Professor of Physics and a senior faculty member at the Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University.

Introduction: Peter Galison (Harvard Physics & Black Hole Initiative)

Moderator: Daniel Kapec (Harvard CMSA)

The Yip Lecture takes place thanks to the support of Dr. Shing-Yiu Yip.

The previous Yip Lecture featured Avi Loeb (Harvard), who spoke on Extraterrestrial Life.