New Books in Science Marcus Chown, "A Crack in Everything: How Black Holes Came in from the Cold and Took Cosmic Centre Stage" (Apollo, 2025)
Nov 7, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Marcus Chown, a former radio astronomer and acclaimed science writer, delves into the mysteries of black holes. He explores their fascinating history, from Einstein's initial skepticism to their critical role in our understanding of the cosmos. Chown shares anecdotes from interviews with key scientists and discusses groundbreaking discoveries like Cygnus X-1. He also unpacks the enigmatic concepts of Hawking radiation and gravitational waves, shedding light on how these cosmic phenomena shape our universe.
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A Childhood Sparked By Cygnus X-1
- Marcus Chown recounts attending a Junior Astronomical Society talk where Paul Murdin described Cygnus X-1 and it 'blew his mind'.
- That early encounter set him on a career path from radio astronomy to writing about black holes.
Black Holes Came In From The Cold
- Black holes are regions where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape, yet they now play central roles in cosmic structure.
- Chown argues they moved 'in from the cold' from fringe theory to essential actors shaping galaxies and us.
Schwarzschild's Nervous Gift To Einstein
- Carl Schwarzschild solved Einstein's equations for a star and found a solution leading to a 'bottomless pit' in spacetime if compressed enough.
- Einstein resisted the implication because it introduced singularities that signaled his theory's breakdown.
