# Black holes in General Relativity and beyond

## TL;DR

This paper reviews black hole physics in General Relativity, discusses gravitational wave detections, and explores potential modifications from alternative theories or exotic objects, providing a pedagogical overview of black hole binary evolution.

## Contribution

It offers a qualitative interpretation of black hole binary phases and discusses how these would change under extended or alternative gravitational theories.

## Key findings

- Gravitational wave detections align with General Relativity predictions.
- Black hole binary evolution phases are qualitatively described.
- Potential modifications from alternative theories are briefly discussed.

## Abstract

The recent detections of gravitational waves from binary systems of black holes are in remarkable agreement with the predictions of General Relativity. In this pedagogical mini-review, I will go through the physics of the different phases of the evolution of black hole binary systems, providing a qualitative physical interpretation of each one of them. I will also briefly describe how these phases would be modified if gravitation were described by a theory extending or deforming General Relativity, or if the binary components turned out to be more exotic compact objects than black holes.