1st "proof" against black holes

[Bantari]

Male physics? What?

Anyway, the observational evidence in favour of black holes existing is overwhelming. There is something weighing millions of solar masses in the center of our galaxy (and most other galaxies), and nothing else but a black hole fits the description.

A really dark gray hole?

That's right!
I always thought "black hole" was not really politically correct name.

[Aidoneus]

Male physics? What?

Anyway, the observational evidence in favour of black holes existing is overwhelming. There is something weighing millions of solar masses in the center of our galaxy (and most other galaxies), and nothing else but a black hole fits the description.

A really dark gray hole?

According to Stephen Hawking black holes may not exist after all: http://www.nature.com/news/stephen-hawk ... es-1.14583

As for myself, I ever endeavor to resist categorical assertion... Je pense donc Je suis très confus.

[Knotwilg]

Since I left university 15 years ago with a master degree in mathematics, my understanding of the laws of the universe has mostly dissolved. There were some laws that made great sense to me, like Maxwell's and Schrödinger's. These were laws that you could intuitively feel would pass the test of time. I felt a little awkward about Einstein's relativity theory but there was rather little arguing with it.

However ...

Much of the theory about formation, lifetime and death of stars has always seemed very speculative to me. The lethal blow to my faith in astronomy came with the following message, which I reformulate here in its Wikipedia shape:

Thus, dark matter is estimated to constitute 84.5% of the total matter in the universe, while dark energy plus dark matter constitute 95.1% of the total content of the universe.

I have no alternative theory, but the fact that 95% of what should be there does not interact with our capability to measure, leaves a high likelihood that reality is a bit different than our current theories have to offer.

So, when someone comes up with an alternative theory for what's out there in space, I'm much more receptive than if another quack comes up with a perpetuum mobile on earth.

[Bantari]

Since I left university 15 years ago with a master degree in mathematics, my understanding of the laws of the universe has mostly dissolved. There were some laws that made great sense to me, like Maxwell's and Schrödinger's. These were laws that you could intuitively feel would pass the test of time. I felt a little awkward about Einstein's relativity theory but there was rather little arguing with it.

However ...

Much of the theory about formation, lifetime and death of stars has always seemed very speculative to me. The lethal blow to my faith in astronomy came with the following message, which I reformulate here in its Wikipedia shape:

Thus, dark matter is estimated to constitute 84.5% of the total matter in the universe, while dark energy plus dark matter constitute 95.1% of the total content of the universe.

I have no alternative theory, but the fact that 95% of what should be there does not interact with our capability to measure, leaves a high likelihood that reality is a bit different than our current theories have to offer.

So, when someone comes up with an alternative theory for what's out there in space, I'm much more receptive than if another quack comes up with a perpetuum mobile on earth.

I have had exactly the same feeling about the dark matter for years. My feeling is that if we have to go to such lengths to make our equations balance, then there just might be something wrong with the equations to begin with.

Black holes, however, do make sense to me, sort of. I can imagine huge amounts of matter accumulating in one spot producing unbelievable amounts of gravity. I know or see nothing that would contradict such process and such result. If that then produces the exact construct we mathematically define as "black hole", with all its weird properties, I cannot tell. But the general idea makes sense to me. More so than many of the other weird ideas, like wormholes, for example.

But what do I know. I stopped seriously studying physics and cosmology many years back, precisely because of such stuff as "dark matter". When I think of the universe, it is much simpler than that, and at the same time much more complex. The math and physics is simpler, the idea grander. And it all makes sense, you just have to throw off all that artificial padding.

[Bill Spight]

As for myself, I ever endeavor to resist categorical assertion.

You'll never say never again again?

[Aidoneus]

As for myself, I ever endeavor to resist categorical assertion.

You'll never say never again again?

Resistance is futile...you will be assimilated.