The irresistible attraction of gravity extends far beyond our planet – to the mysterious phenomenon of black holes. Luciano Rezzolla, an astrophysicist researching and teaching in Germany, is among the first to have succeeded in creating photographic images of a supermassive black hole. In this book, he takes us on a journey to the deepest mysteries of the cosmos to explore the phenomenon of gravity, which is as amazing as it is puzzling.

Why does an apple fall from a tree instead of floating into space? In school, we were taught that gravity is the force that holds us, and also the things on the surface of our planet, as it rotates around itself and around the sun. But our bodies were familiar with gravity long before that, as evidenced by the cling reflex with which the newborn infant responds to a potential threat. Over the years, we learn to deal with gravity and sometimes dream of overcoming it. But its irresistible attraction extends far beyond our planet – to the mysterious phenomenon of black holes, which generate tremendous gravity in their environment. How is it possible to photograph them, when by definition they capture all the light that strikes them? With common sense, talent for entertainment and such enormous knowledge as passion, Luciano Rezzolla accompanies us in the discovery of one of the deepest mysteries of the cosmos. Step by step, under his guidance, we approach the truth about a phenomenon that not only our bodies but also our curiosity cannot resist.