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Black holes are here! Well, they are very far away and quite large. Or maybe all around and tiny? WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

I was fortunate to meet NASA Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist, Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr., who showed up to my studio in very cool shoes and then proceeded to answer our one million questions about these light-sucking gravity dens of mystery.

We talked for nearly 2 hours straight, so we split this in a two parter – which also gives you time to absorb the info and listen 2-3 more times. Next week we’ll be back to talk wormholes and more.

What did you think? Also if you listened all the way through, thanks for the good vibes.

Let’s hear thoughts,

Dadward

Files

Black Hole Theory Cosmology (WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?!) Part 1 with Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. - alie ward

How big are black holes? Is time elastic? What is spacetime foam? Why is there a place called "elsewhere?" Enjoy this dazzling two-parter that starts with the absolute basics with NASA's Goddard Theoretical Astrophysicist and Black Hole Theory Cosmologist Dr. Ronald Gamble, Jr. We talk busting of fl

Comments

Mimz

I am stoked! I loved the cosmology (other space one?) more than I imagined and really want to know more about black holes now!!!

Raphael Santore

Ali: I love you for being you. Not to panic. My wife loves you as well. You are the best podcaster we have ever listened to and we love being in our car, listening to you, even if we are parked. Thank you for being you. raphael nyc

Rick T

I wish you could have gotten deep into the “is gravity actually a force” debate. Clearly he believes it is but there are very strong dissenting opinions in the physics community

Alie Ward

Amelia I tried SO HARD to include it in the post but Patreon wouldn't let me because of the link. But it's here!

Alie Ward

Raphael thank you so much! Tell your wife I say hi and that you almost made me cry on my walking treadmill

Alie Ward

I hope you dig it because there's an extra serving next week!

Alie Ward

We do cover all kinds of stuff in Part 2!

Rick T

Maybe he was just simplifying it for us simpletons. Obviously he understands space-time and maybe I can’t grasp the whole concept enough to understand the vernacular

Mimz

I'm in

KirkDCO

If falling into the singularity takes an infinite amount of time, how do black holes merge? Wouldn't it take infinite time for that to occur??

Amy E Kirby

W. T. F. I consider myself a smart person. I have two advanced degrees. But I just cannot wrap my mind around visco-elastic space time moving so fast that you can see the back of your head. I had to rewind so many times just to keep up. And then elsewhere hit me and I just lost it. 🤣🤯 Thank you and Dr. Gamble for making my brain hurt in the best way.

Alie Ward

Aahah! Right?! I loved when he called out my face

Alie Ward

We I believe cover it more in Pt 2 but think it might be infinite suckage

Nicholas Potter

I love this topic. But also, what happened to the ologies voice in the theme music? I loved that part where you just listed out a whole bunch of ologies!

KirkDCO

There is no gravity. Black holes suck.

Chris Allen

Just listened and it was fantastic! Love everything space and these big questions scientists are trying to answer! Can't wait for ep2!

Nicholas Potter

Oh nevermind it was at the end of this one! I must have been digging deep into the archives.

Jessie

Ok I’m not even done the episode yet but .. that explanation of gravity being the dip in the space-time fabric was one of the few times I understood neither the the expert nor Alie’s follow-up clarification. SOS. I have the mental image of the space-time fabric and the planets sitting on it and I still cannot wrap my head around time as fabric?!

Jessie

So validating. Thank u. Feeling v similar!

Jessie

🥹everything about this post makes me happy on all the levels!! Thank you for sharing 🥺🥹

EmmaB

This episode was AMAZING! I feel like I kind of understood quantum stuff??! I also loved hearing about how he learned questions! One of my favourite parts of ologies is hearing how people became successful and using those skills in my own academic journey!

Euan Munro

Excellent episode, can't wait for part 2!

Domino Cohn

Fuck. Now I have to find $300 for these boots, on top of the money I’ll need to repair my completely blown mind. This episode made me so grateful that I joined Patreon for the sole purpose of supporting Ologies. Love your work, Alie. Please keep it up!

Jessica Rudd

This was such a great episode!! I can’t wait for part two!

Chelsea Wilck

Okay this is now one of my all-time fave episodes...and there's more to come like wtf!! Literal insanity. Kept having to pause and discuss certain parts with my girlfriend (who is a genius and knows way more about black holes than I could ever comprehend) and now I just want to talk about black holes all day long. My mind has been beyond blown. Also we stan dark wave hell YES!

Spencer Parks

Obviously some amazing info in here with an amazing person and even though I'm probably more educated on black holes than the average person, my brain was like "huh?!" Can't wait for the next episode! I also really liked his story about starting his dream job on his mom's birthday for 2 reasons (in addition to it being awesome for him)! Aug 16 is actually my dad's birthday, and I, TOO, started my job (17 years ago) on MY mom's birthday! Gravity, man. Gravity.

Alie Ward

It's always been at the end! Seven years!!!

Alie Ward

Thank you, Euan! Working on it now

Audrey Hudak

Okay, so black holes are not actually holes!! They are fat M&Ms!!! I'm going to find a way to bring this up randomly in conversation this week

Alie Ward

Oh thank you so so much. He's so personable and excited about what he does

Alie Ward

Oh, splendid! There is much more for next week. Hold on to your hats and boots

Alie Ward

No way! What great co-incidences! Was your mom happy for you on that day? Also great to hear your voice for the Capys episode!

Spencer Parks

I think my mom was very happy that I had a "big boy" job finally. :) It was great to hear my voice in the Capys episode! Not much of a question so I'm grateful you squeezed it in there. Those Baras certainly are special. I need to step up my question game. Haha.

Jessica Rudd

Yes his passion is certainly inspiring! You always bring on the coolest guests (and are a fabulous host yourself 😄)

Surisitee

I absolutely wanna see his new art i feel like thats suck a unique opportunity to see a comprehensible approximation of all this crazy space stuff. How do u see it again?

Alie Ward

I remembered that M&M line from an old movie called Lucas and I was thrilled to put it in.

Alie Ward

Yeah!cubist black holes? I'm in.

Adam Foote

Crud I just thought to ask if black holes can eat dark matter and how would we know?

Matt Ceccato

My mind grew in the best way possible while listening to this episode. When Dr. Gamble said that a black hole is an oblate spheroid, like our planet, I literally said out loud "no shit!" Of course, I was next to a family with small children at the time...

choirqueer

Show us the shoes!! :D

Meg Kelly

Dark FLOW ?!?!?! I need to know more…. Is it a groovy dance move? A hair style?? A new twist on menstruation ????? I need answers

Meaghan McVicker

Stop stop stop stop STOP. I had to pause so many times to digest and comprehend. This is the stuff life is worth living for. Can’t wait for P.2!!

Alie Ward

AAAH!! Sorry 'bout that, kiddos

Alie Ward

Oh fuck, good question! Find him on social media!

Alie Ward

I wish it could me invisible and intangible if it were a period tbh

Alie Ward

RIGHT? Like, feel free to listen to it 14 times

Matt Ceccato

TBH, the kids were just fine. Grandma shot me a look...

Jessie

🥲 I know the graphic but just don’t understand how time factors in! Thank you for sharing 🥹

Alie Ward

Okay Adam, I asked him via email today and he said "That's a VERY good question! We don't know if a black hole could do that. But I'd assume we wouldn't be able to observe that with our current technology (observatories), but maybe one day we will!"

Cindy Stump

I love this and all episodes. I am trying to hook my daughter on this show; she usually listens to podcasts on YouTube. I cannot find Ologies on YouTube. Only a few episodes. 😕

Between Dumplings

So dense. Kinda like me. Also so fascinating and engaging. Maybe also like me on my best day.

Adam Foote

Awesome! I'm so glad you emailed it to him, and his response is great too. This may be the best question I've ever asked haha. Thank you!

Mike Matteson (Inkdependence)

This is great. Loved this episode, but I have questions I wouldn't have known to ask before I listened to it. Like, if black holes twist space time (I'm imagining like if you stick your fingers in the middle of a dish towel and twist them and it bunches up), does it stretch? Is it finite? Does twisting it pull it away from other things at the edges and WTH happens then? Is gravity the dent in the space time, or is the dent the effect of gravitation on space time? So many questions!

Madalyn Freedman

Hi! Is this where we ask questions? I’m new. Here’s another question: if stuff is burned up around the edges of the black hole, what kind of stuff actually gets sucked in? Is it tiny quantum material, tiny parts from inside atoms? Is it dark matter? Thank you!!

Steven Lee

This one blew my mind. Black holes are spheres?! Of course they are! Thank you for this one, looking forward to being swallowed up by one now

Megan M

Just because there was a mention of Stephen Hawking, I need to mention that I was once invited to his Christmas party at his house 😅

Disco Ru

Great episode! It’s Podcast like yours that make complex scientific topics interesting and approachable to everyone.

Abby Grieb

Dang… I usually don’t have a problem following the ologies episodes but this one was tough, yet fascinating 😂 I just can’t wrap my head around the space time discussion

Donoiw

Are the gravitational waves from black hole mergers susceptible to the red shift of universal expansion?

Donoiw

Also, my guess about surgery is that it is to install a hard drive like device so you can have perfect recall of all the facts you learned. ( I really want this to be true, because I am genuinely worried about my Dad Ward 😫)

Caro Young

Such a great episode! I feel like we need a Part 3 and maybe it’s time to get Katie Mack back to talk about the end of the universe? Good luck with everything on Friday and can’t wait to hear from you on the other end!

Jessica Rudd

Loved part 2! It was SO cool getting to hear my name and question on there! Especially since I was listening to the episode in a hospital bed only a couple hours before going in for surgery to fix my very broken leg 😅 On that note, good luck with your upcoming surgery too Dadward!

Matt Hirschl

Thank you so much for asking my question. What amazing answer, too! White holes are the secret overlords of black holes!

Hannah Pimley

One of my favorite episodes ever! I need to meet this man IRL. Also, fun fact, the high school he shouted out in Middletown, DE (where I live!), St. Andrew’s, is where they filmed Dead Poet’s Society :)

Staci Pinkowitz

Ok haven’t listened to part 2 yet but loving that there’s a delaware shoutout??? Hell yes delaware!! Ologite Wilmington meetup has to be on the books lol

Staci Pinkowitz

Delawology. DuPontology(yikes) piedmontology

Alie Ward

Yeah, there's kind of a weird debate about podcasts on youtube because then the people who do the ads have to get involved, and we havent quite figured that into the business side!

Alie Ward

Youre gonna have to become a black hole astrophysicists and help us figure it out

Alie Ward

Oh, that's a different post! Those say "CALL FOR QUESTIONS" and I post them a few days before an interview! This is a discussion Thread post to chat about the episode after it goes live! Welcome and I'm so glad you're here!

Alie Ward

I had no idea. None. We gotta go watch Interstellar

Alie Ward

Thank you so so much, that's literally my life's mission and it's wonderful to hear

Alie Ward

I mean, it's the heaviest matter int he universe, so I get it!

Alie Ward

Great question! We already recorded but follow Dr. Gamble on socials and ask!

Alie Ward

ahahaha, I so wish! And thank you so much.

Alie Ward

She's amazing! Maybe one day we can figure out a different ology for her

Alie Ward

Oh nooooo! How is it doing? I hope it's healing fast

Alie Ward

I understand there is a robust mushroom foraging community in Delaware

Megan M

And I had a migraine so we decided not to go 😂 anticlimactic

Mike Matteson (Inkdependence)

I don’t know if I have the maths for that, but I did teach philosophy at NC A&T where he did his PhD. So that’s a fun connection. 😃

Erin Erskine

Oooh, a hysterectomy? Say it’s a hysterectomy! Get rid of that baby black hole!

Nick worth

Regarding the name Gargantua being a silly name like Unobtainium: I believe the name came from Francois Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel… I think the original script even had a second black hole named Pantagruel…

Hannah Pimley

WHAT I would’ve excedrin-ed up so hard

Megan M

This was actually the year before I was finally prescribed triptans which are the only thing that have ever worked for me with migraines. It was Christmas eve so I had already maxxed out on codeine and anti nausea meds to try to get through the day with lots of bright lights and noise and I was reeeaally not doing well 😅 I was just lying on the sofa vaguely aware of the discussion going on around me. I was annoyed afterwards about the timing but in the moment I was just relieved b/c there was no way I could imagine going anywhere 😅

Alan Gross

My thought, too, although I'm more concerned with how she's doing than what was done to her.

Jessica Rudd

Thank you! It’s doing well; I was finally able to head home from the hospital today!

Marianne Moscynski

Has anyone told Dr Gamble he sounds just like the newest Dr Who!!??

Erin Erskine

For many, MANY women, birth control and surgery is not “something that’s done to us.” While I appreciate that you are deeply concerned about the physical well-being of a woman, just keep in mind that this is a subject that’s deliberately kept quiet to control and shame women.