Gravitational Microlensing and Supermassive Black Holes

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Studying the composition of galaxies involves using gravitational microlensing, which analyzes how light bends around a galaxy due to a bright source behind it. This phenomenon can reveal details about the galaxy's composition and movement. Supermassive black holes, billions of times more massive than the sun, can create incredibly bright light by pulling matter into themselves, forming a whirlpool of illuminated material visible across the universe.

Stars. Black holes. THE GAWDANG UNIVERSE. Astrophysicist and cosmologist Dr. Katie Mack (@astrokatie) re-introduces us to this 2017 episode along with some bonus updates on astrophysics, her career, and the book she’s published since we last heard from her. Katie also tells us her most embarrassing moments as a cosmologist, debunks some physicist myths and gives us the nuts + bolts of everything form particle physics to gravitational waves and existential mysteries. Walk away with cocktail party comprehension of everything from the itty-bitty quarks that make you to the neutron stars banging together across the cosmos. More than anything, get perspective about your life on this, our little pale blue dot.

Visit Dr. Mack’s website and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok

Buy Dr. Mack's new book: The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)

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Editing by Steven Ray Morris and Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions

Transcripts by Emily White of The Wordary