The black hole information paradox

Prof. Dr. Marika Taylor, University of Birmingham

The black hole information paradox

Fifty years ago, Stephen Hawking showed that black holes emit radiation due to quantum effects. The discovery of Hawking radiation has led to a longstanding puzzle about the nature of black holes. This is the information paradox, the question of what happens to information that falls into a black hole. In this colloquium we will explain the information paradox, and discuss why it is so important for understanding the quantum nature of gravity. We will explore contemporary ideas for resolving the paradox, and how these may relate to quantum computing.