From Collapse to Collision - Inferring the Formation Rate of Merging Black Holes from Gravitational Waves

Explore the formation rate of merging black holes through gravitational wave analysis in this 16-minute conference talk. Examine how gravitational wave detections are transforming our understanding of the stellar mass black hole population, while Gaia reveals dormant black holes in detached binaries and microlensing probes isolated black holes. Learn about the comprehensive lifecycle of stellar black holes, from their massive star progenitors through core collapse and associated transients, to their afterlives as dormant or accreting objects, and their potential finale as gravitational wave sources during mergers. Discover how new observational data from time domain surveys searching for transients are revealing previously unknown black hole populations that complement those identified through traditional X-ray and radio surveys. Gain insights into the urgent questions surrounding stellar black hole lifecycles and the observational and theoretical strategies being developed to address them, as part of a broader scientific effort to understand these cosmic phenomena from formation to collision.