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    BOOKS

    Sep 15, 2022 4 minutes

    A Brief History of Black Holes

    Becky Smethurst

    Macmillan £20 • HB

    What do the terms gravitationally collapsed star, frozen star and dark star have in common? They are all terms that have been used to describe black holes. This nice little titbit is just one of the many that fill A Brief History of Black Holes.

    The book takes you for a jaunt through science history, presenting the smallest to the largest black holes, while travelling from the centre of the Milky Way to the edge of the visible Universe. This is all done with Becky Smethurst’s charming wit and many pop-culture references. The chapter titles are cleverly thought out, using song lyrics from the Not something you see every day in a popular astrophysics book! In addition to Smethurst’s uncomplicated writing style, it makes for a book that’s very accessible and an easy read.

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