What is space? What is time? Where did the Universe come from? The answers may lie in science’s greatest enigma: black holes.

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This lecture was recorded at the Ri on 23 September 2024.

Join writer and former astronomer Marcus Chown as he explores the profound insights and discovers that black holes offer in understanding fundamental physics, the universe, and even our own existence. Marcus shares the journey of how we realised that black holes are not only central to our understanding of the cosmos but also may explain why you are here on Earth, reading these very words at this moment.

Join us for a journey through space and time, delving into the mysteries of black holes and the remarkable individuals who have shaped our understanding of the universe. This talk offers new perspectives on the cosmos and the human spirit.


Marcus Chown is an awardwinning writer and broadcaster. Formerly a radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, he is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Brunel University. His books have been awarded The Sunday Times Science Book of the Year and runnerup for the Royal Society Book Prize. Marcus has also tried his hand at Apps and won The Bookseller Digital Innovation of the Year for Solar System for iPad. Marcus was a regular guest on the BBC4 comedyscience show, It’s Only A Theory, and often appears on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. He has appeared at a variety of events from the Cheltenham Literary Festival to the Sydney Writers Festival and from the National Theatre to the Wilderness Festival.



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