Room 522, 5/F, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building, The University of Hong Kong
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 4:00 pm
Black holes are the sources of the strongest gravitational fields in the present-day Universe, offering unparalleled opportunities to test Einstein’s theory of General Relativity in the strong-field regime. In this talk, I will examine the prospect of sending small spacecraft on an interstellar mission to the nearest black hole. While highly speculative and fraught with technical challenges, such an endeavor is not entirely beyond the realm of possibility. Although the necessary technology does not yet exist, it may become available within the next 20 to 30 years. The mission itself could span 80 to 100 years, yet the scientific return — insights into the nature of black holes and the extremes of General Relativity — would be profound and potentially unattainable through other means.
Anyone interested is welcome to attend in person or via Zoom:
https://hku.zoom.us/j/96472971072?pwd=uoTCtn45823IaLEyIkyrQvvZPjyt0C.1
Meeting ID: 964 7297 1072
Password: 410133