Three Laureates share the Nobel Prize 2020 in Physics for their discoveries about the Black Hole. One half of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 is presented to Roger Penrose and the other half is jointly presented to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
BREAKING NEWS:
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 6, 2020
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2020 #NobelPrize in Physics with one half to Roger Penrose and the other half jointly to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez. pic.twitter.com/MipWwFtMjz
Roger Penrose
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 is presented to 89-year old Roger Penrose for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity.
Source: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
In January 1965, ten years after the death of Albert Einstein, Roger with the help of ingenious mathematical methods proved that black holes are a direct consequence of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity and at their heart, hides a singularity in which all the known laws of nature cease.
Einstein's take on Black Hole
Einstein believed that black holes are a myth and do not really exist. He believed that nothing can escape, not even the light.
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez
Reinhard Genzel (68) and Andrea Ghez (55) have jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 for the discovery of a supermassive compact object at the centre of our galaxy.
Source: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
For this, both of them lead a group of astronomers focussing on a region called Sagittarius A* at the centre of our galaxy. The orbits of the brightest stars closest to the middle of the Milky Way have been mapped with increasing precision. Both of these groups agreed to have found an extremely heavy, invisible object that pulls on the jumble of stars, causing them to rush around at dizzying speeds.
Source: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Both of the groups developed methods with the world's largest telescopes to see beyond the clouds to the centre of the milky way. They jointly build unique instruments and committed themselves to the research. With the help of their long term research, we are convinced of a supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way.
About the Laureates
| Roger Penrose Roger Penrose was born on August 8, 1931, in Colchester, England, UK. He studied at the University College School and graduated as a Bachelor of Science from University College, London. He attended St. John's College, Cambridge and holds an MSc and DPhil degree. He is Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and is an honorary fellow of St John's College, Cambridge and of University College London (UCL). |
| Reinhard Genzel Reinhard Genzel was born on March 24, 1952, in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, West Germany (now Germany). He studied at the University of Freiburg and graduated as a Bachelor of Science. He also attended the University of Bonn and hold an MSc and DPhil degree. He is known for Infrared astronomy and Submillimetre astronomy. He is the co-director of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, a professor at LMU and an emeritus professor at the University of California, Berkeley. |
| Andrea Ghez Andrea Ghez was born on June 16, 1965, in New York City, New York, U.S. She studied at the University of Chicago Lab School and holds a BS degree in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She attended the California Institute of Technology and holds an MS and PhD degree. She is known for Adaptive optics studying the galactic centre. She is an American astronomer and professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA. |
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics 2020 with 10 million Swedish Kronor. One half of this to be received by Roger Penrose and the other half jointly by Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
| The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was founded in 1739. It is an independent organisation with the aim to promote the sciences and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy takes special responsibility for the natural sciences and mathematics, but endeavours to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines. |
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