The idea that there could be billions of black holes in the universe makes the presence of these objects puzzling. Prominent physicists disregarded what mathematics predicted and refused to accept them as genuine for decades in the 20th century. Albert Einstein was one of these skeptics; his theory of general relativity allowed for the existence of black holes (see “Why Einstein and his peers were ‘irrationally resistant’ to black holes”).
But one guy, who lived long before Einstein, shown extraordinary foresight regarding black holes.
Back in the eighteenth century, a little-known British priest by the name of John Michell predicted these astronomically unusual objects in some significant and unexpected ways using solely Newtonian laws. What did Michell foresee, who was he, and why were his theories mostly ignored?
The son of parish rector Gilbert Michell and his wife Obedience Gerrard, Michell was born in the English village of Eakring in 1724. Raised at home with his younger brother and sister, John gained an early reputation for being observant and quick to pick things up.
