We spoke to the author, Luciano Rezzolla,  about his recent book, The Irresistible Attraction of Gravity,  and his upcoming Cambridge Festival Event, March 31, 7pm, at Cambridge University Press Book Shop.

Dr. Rezzolla is a world-renowned astrophysicist. At a glance, his research investigates black holes and neutron stars. Recently, you might recall is groundbreaking work documenting the first image of a black hole.  

Why is your research important?

By construction, every scientist considers their research to be very important and I am no different. On the other hand, because I am interested in some of the most basic aspects of research, I am well aware that none of what I produce scientifically will have a concrete and meaningful impact on our present lives, or at least not like a vaccine or a new stem-cell therapy for some incurable illness. Yet, I do think my research is important because it addresses one of the most fundamental human needs, that of knowing and understanding. We have been doing this since we first evolved from other primates and every time a new brick has been added to the building of our knowledge, we have managed to transform it into something useful. I expect it will be the same also for research as abstract as that on gravity. 

Tell us about your upcoming Cambridge Festival event?

I am very much looking forward to this event as it will give me a fantastic opportunity to reveal the beauty and fascination of gravity and how it exerts an irresistible attraction on our physical bodies but more importantly on our minds. In my presentation I’ll explain why gravity is so different from any other force in nature and why we have a very personal interaction with it. I’ll also explain why black holes are almost inevitable and why they are so difficult to accept.

Why is it important to get a picture of a black hole? 
It is important because black holes are objects that are very hard to digest as some of their properties really challenge our understanding of physics and set serious constraints on what is reasonable to accept. Hence, collecting evidence that they exist is a first way to come to terms with their existence.

The Cambridge Festival   

The Cambridge Festival, 17 March-2 April, is an interdisciplinary event spanning the sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences.   

The Cambridge University event showcases some of the world-leading research that is happening across Cambridge. The events are categorized by theme, Discovery, Power, Environment, Health and Society, and are free and accessible to all.   

Here at the Cambridge University Press, we are proud to showcase a selection of our inspiring authors at this year’s Festival. Each will present their fascinating research in an approachable, easy to digest format. Read more about our selection Cambridge Festival events here.

About the author

Dr. Rezzolla is the Chair of Theoretical Astrophysics and Director at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Frankfurt, Germany. He is a member of the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration (EHTC), where he sits on the Executive Board. He is author of The Irresistible Attraction of Gravity: A Journey to Discover Black Holes