Carla Almeida

Shaping a concept – a historical view of the public perception of black holes

Carla Cavalleri, UFABC, Brazil

Abstract – A cosmic drain, a galactic vacuum cleaner, a planet eater, a portal to another universe, a black hole in space. One of the best ways to explain an intricate theory to the general audience is through analogies, and they were heavily used to spread the word about the most intriguing astrophysical concept of the second half of the 20th century. But when and why black holes became these black holes? We will explore these questions from a historical perspective, trying to understand how black holes were shaped in people’s minds and the influences they had over future scientific endeavors.