The ubiquity of black holes in modern physics

TL;DR

This paper explains the significant influence of black holes in modern theoretical physics, covering topics like string theory, extra dimensions, and holography in an accessible manner for a broad audience.

Contribution

It provides an accessible overview of black holes' role in modern physics, highlighting key developments and concepts without technical complexity.

Findings

Black holes are central to many modern physics theories.

Black holes contribute to understanding quantum gravity and holography.

Black holes influence research in string theory and extra dimensions.

Abstract

This is a translation of an article written originally in Portuguese for the journal Gazeta de F\'isica, in a special edition celebrating the 2020 Nobel prize in physics. The text targets a broad audience and focuses on the key ideas and developments in an entirely non-technical fashion, requiring from the reader only a keen interest in theoretical physics. The aim is to explain in an accessible way -- employing only basic and intuitive concepts -- the huge influence black holes have had in modern theoretical physics. Among the various topics covered, string theory and the AdS/CFT correspondence, extra dimensions, the quark-gluon plasma and holographic superconductors are highlighted.