Physicist Explains Black Holes: Time Stops, Space Bends

A recent Lex Fridman Podcast episode featuring cosmologist Janna Levin has sparked online interest in the nature of black holes. Levin's engaging explanation, using thought experiments, clarifies complex concepts for a broader audience. "What's inside a black hole?" she asks, and proceeds to illustrate the relativity of space and time within the black hole's event horizon. From an external perspective, time for someone falling into the black hole appears to slow dramatically, even stopping. However, Levin suggests the experience for the astronaut might be far less dramatic. This discussion highlights the fascinating, often counterintuitive, nature of astrophysics.