Scientists react to first image of a black hole

As the first ever picture of a black hole was revealed, we asked researchers what this breakthrough means for them and for science.

Presented by Davide Castelvecchi, featuring Heino Falcke, Luciano Rezzolla, Katie Bouman, Monika Moscibrodzka and Junhan Kim.

#realblackhole #EHTblackhole

[papel]

About two years ago I translated Katie Bouman (one of the scientists in the video)'s TED talk of "How to take a picture of a black hole" as a volunteer translator, and that was my first-ever translation, and as a result also the one that's left the most impact on me. I vividly remembered her talking about how she is a computer scientist, how her algorithms work ("like a disco ball"), how she is grateful for working in such a team, and she said maybe soon we'll be able to see the first-ever image of a black hole! At the time I have no idea what phrases like "soon" or "near future" means, and didn't fully realize the scope of the work (it's from translating that TED talk and looking up words did I first learn the term "event horizon"). But NOW THIS DAY ACTUALLY And in the same way through the same medium of a video I "see" her again! And it's just unbelievable... The fact that we are experiencing scientific progress everyday, and the unbelievably rapid rate of it, even though for most of the times those small but numerous steps of progress stay behind the scenes. I'm actually crying. Shoutout to all of the scientists. Thank you so much for making all the incredible things to happen. A high school student 100 years in the future may not remember the date or even the year this picture is published. But in my lifetime, I will.

[faisalmansoor]

I wish Stephen Hawking would be there today to see the image of a black hole.

[Coryconqueso]

I’m so proud of our species. Great day for humanity!

[ozzyg]

See what happens when people come together. I think in this day and age, it’s just as miraculous and wonderful to see how well humans can collaborate over a common cause as it is to view such amazing results of this collaboration.

[richsutton]

They're high fiving off the edge of the stage like it's a rock concert, priceless.

[jubaerjami]

I love the way this video is π minutes

[roshanzammerhussian]

Anybody remember Katie Bouman at 1:13 from Ted talks, her speech was wonderful on black holes

[abbieamavi]

I remember watching Dr Katie Bouman's video speech on this!! I was so excited, and my younger siblings didn't understand how I always looked in textbooks for a Black Hole!! then I reached my 20s and finally saw it

[raphaelan.a]

I didn't cry watching sad television drama, but sob like a baby seeing the joy in scientists' faces in thus monumental discovery.

Good work everyone, thank you for advancing humanity!

[nicholashylton]

We live in such a great time of discovery in cosmology! Way to go, guys! This is a jaw dropping accomplishment.

[warbacca]

I love stuff like this, where normal people can look at a picture or set of numbers and say "it doesnt look that impressive", whereas those in the respective fields understand the full significance and are just over the moon with excitement.

[Smudgie]

I am in awe of such people with the capacity to calculate unimaginably complex algorithms. I hope Miss Bouman receives the salary she deserves.

[cutemedli]

I would like to thank the scientific community for their hard work to produce and show us this marvelous picture! It really makes appreciate life more!

[jjeherrera]

Now you can direct your telescopes to Cadarache and find another kind of black hole there :-D

[TheNewThrone]

I wish Einstein and even more so Stephen Hawking could have seen this

[yamuna]

We’re seeing a 55 million year old picture.

[newjerseywhistleblower]

History, this is history in the making!
Not many realise the implications & gravity of this!
What a great time to be alive.

[ayushsharma]

0:56 when my crush accepts my friend request

[signofastorm]

To iterate: All the "pictures" and animations of black holes in popular science books, movies and so on were purely based on predictions and now we know that they were spot on. I'm absolutely delighted. Woohoo, science!

[emgee]

I just watched the TED talk from two years ago given by Katie Bouman and now we have end result. Her enthusiasm is infectious and her explanation in that talk was easier to understand than the one during the press release - “glitter ball” - I get it now.

A massive congratulations to everyone involved in this massive endeavour, a definite contender for the Nobel if ever there was one...sorry Sheldon 🤣👏👏👏