Black Holes, Storytelling and Cosmic Perspective with Dr Tanya Hill

What does a dragonfly have to do with a black hole? Astronomer and science communicator Dr Tanya Hill explores black holes, the power of analogy, and why science needs creativity as much as it needs facts. Tanya explains why an event horizon is a true point of no return, and how a story about dragonfly nymphs can make that otherwise abstract idea feel real. We also discuss the hidden choices behind astronomical images, whether space goes on forever, why children ask some of the best questions about the universe, and what looking up can do to our sense of perspective. Dr Tanya Hill is Senior Curator of Astronomy at Museums Victoria. Her research background includes supermassive black holes, and she now develops Planetarium shows that bring astronomy to wider audiences. If this conversation leaves you with more questions than answers, it has probably done its job. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:39 Fear of the dark and finding astronomy 04:25 From research to the Melbourne Planetarium 08:33 Why science is a creative pursuit 12:03 Awe, insignificance and cosmic perspective 13:34 Explaining event horizons through a dragonfly 18:56 How stories make scientific ideas stick 21:43 How to make people care about complex information 23:47 Are space images showing the “real” colours? 28:19 The beauty of the Orion Nebula 29:25 What Tanya hopes audiences take from a Planetarium show 32:05 Astronomy, children and curiosity 34:12 The big questions children ask about space 36:41 Does space go on forever? 41:02 Why distant aliens might see dinosaurs, not us 41:46 New telescopes and what we still don’t know Mentioned in this episode Dr Tanya Hill https://museumsvictoria.com.au/about-... Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienc... Tanya’s book, When the Stars Come Out https://museumsvictoria.com.au/publis... Discover the Night Sky with Dr Tanya Hill https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienc... More from Uncomfortably Curious: Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/033xwz9... Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...