Pronunciation ChallengeThe Economist: Black Holes-Why They Matter

[Transcript]

Today’s episode is brought to you by The Economist. Hey folks, Ken here. Today, we’ll be discussing the mysterious black holes out there in space. Black holes are the strangest and most mind-blowing objects in the universe. I’m not a scientist, but I’ve heard that it sucks in or absorbs everything in its proximity, which is kinda scary. So, what do real scientists know about black holes? For most of the 20th century, they assumed they must exist. But it wasn't until near the end of that century that they developed the methods to properly detect them.

In 2019, a global research group made a huge leap forward and captured the first-ever image of an actual black hole. I’m sure you’ve seen it in the news, it looks like a blurry ring of light. A black hole is a region of space that is so dense, there's so much gravity that nothing⏤not even light⏤can escape. So, what about the reputation that black holes are cosmic hoovers (vacuum cleaners) that suck up anything and everything within reach? Well, not entirely true. An object will only reach a point of no return when it crosses what’s known as the “event horizon” around a black hole. It's been observed in stars as they cross the event horizon, they are dragged in by the black hole's unbeatable gravitational attraction, so even light can’t escape a black hole.

According to Alok Jha, the science correspondent of The Economist, if you've ever seen "Interstellar", the film, they have a CGI of a black hole, which was actually physically correct. And by the way, “Interstellar” was such a great movie, I’ve watched it three times. It really is a movie that urges you to introspect the meaning of love and life. It always breaks my heart at the scene where Matthew McCaugnahey watches the video messages sent by his son and daughter from Earth.

What physicists have been trying to do for decades is to find ways to connect different theories of the black hole, in other words, to find another physical idea which encompasses them. The only way to understand some of the biggest mysteries in the universe about what the universe is made of and where it's going in the future. These are things that you can only understand if you have a more universal rule of physics, which we know we don't have. And the answer we’re looking for, probably sits right inside a black hole waiting on us to uncover. Anyways, can’t wait for Elon Musk to be the first man to travel into the black hole, I’ll make sure I live to see this moment.




[Sentence of the day]

A black hole is a region of space that is so dense, there's so much gravity that nothing, not even light, can escape.

[Vocabulary words]

1. region
a specific area of a place

i.e. Wild boars were reportedly seen in this region of the forest.

2. dense
having parts that are close together so that it is difficult to go or see through

i.e. The dense foliage overhead almost blocked out the sun.

3. escape
to get free from something, or to avoid something

*The ESC key on the keyboard is actually short for escape.

i.e. A lion has escaped from its cage.


Alright, that’s all we have time for today.
Leave me a comment down below
so you won’t fall into a black hole in your sleep
Today’s story is brought to you by The Economist
This is Ken Miao. I’ll see you again next week. Bye.

Day 298

Day 145.