Published on: 2026-04-13
Source: Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University of Peter the Great –
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In Polite, an open lecture “Unveiling the birth of supermassive Black Holes” took place. The event was organized by the astronomical club Centauri with the support of the Higher School of International Educational Programs. It was aimed at improving the quality of preparation of foreign applicants through the popularization of fundamental scientific knowledge in the field of astrophysics. The main speaker was a pregraduate student of the Higher School of International Educational Programs preparatory department, head of the astronomical club Centauri, and leader of the podcast CentauriCast: Among Stars, Marko Antonio Centurion.
Together with the deputy head for scientific work, Associate Professor Darya Ignatyeva, and students of the preparatory department, he immersed the audience in modern cosmological models of the formation of supermassive black holes. The participants thoroughly examined how the unique capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) allow observing infrared radiation from the oldest galaxies and shed light on the mechanisms of “feeding” black holes, and also discussed the latest theories that force a reconsideration of classical ideas about the evolution of the Universe.
The discussion took place in the format of a lively scientific dialogue, where students were able to ask questions about the mystery of “cosmic monsters” and receive answers from experts.
This event became an incredible opportunity not only for me, but also for my colleagues from Centauri, who live in Brazil, to continue doing what is our main motivation — to talk about astronomy to as many people as possible and to make this topic popular! The challenge was serious: to talk about the imminent collapse of supermassive black holes — a topic that is updated practically in real time. Judging by the audience’s reaction, I can say with confidence that we achieved the goal.
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The event became the second in a series of planned annual meetings dedicated to the popularization of fundamental science. Last year, students were introduced to modern problems and achievements in graph theory by the leading researcher of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Steklov Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ilya Ponomarenko. Currently, the organizers plan to invite a researcher in the field of fundamental physics to speak in 2027, as well as to prepare a joint event with students of the preparatory faculty of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University.
The listener of Ali Karagdy Hadji’s lecture shared impressions:Although I do not show much interest in astronomy, I am interested in unexplored things, especially black holes. After the lecture, it can be said that I still have questions about them. However, I learned a lot of important things about the existence of black holes and about how they are formed.
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Marc Antonio Centurion’s lecture not only turned the most complex physical concepts into a captivating intellectual adventure, but also created a unique platform for intercultural academic dialogue, allowing foreign listeners at this stage of preparation to become part of the international research community.
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