TALK ABSTRACT:
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In only 40 years, black holes have emerged from tentative concept
to stark reality.  Astronomers are now finding them everywhere and
these behemoths often play a significant role in shaping their
surroundings.  Thanks to modern space-based observatories and improved
experimental techniques, our understanding of black holes is currently
expanding at a rapid pace.  This talk will present the top 10
discoveries of the past decade and summarize future prospects for
black hole research.