The Impossible Black Hole

A short explainer animation to accompany the press release for the first detection of an intermeadiate mass black hole.

The animation describes the merger of two monster black holes to form an intermediate-mass black hole, about 150 times as heavy as the Sun (GW190521). It is designed as a general explanation of the event and mentions the possible formation scenarios of the progenitor black holes. Aimed at the general public, it is an artistic rendering and not a numerical simulation. The purpose is to describe the concepts and significance of GW190521 to a non-technical audience.