An illustration of a supermassive black hole with a mass billions of times that of the sun. Black holes may be invisible, but their influence shapes galaxies, modern technology and humanity's understanding of its own limits. "Black holes have a very intimate relationship with each and every one of you," she told attendees. "You got here to Davos because the same equations that govern and explain black holes actually guide GPS ." The origin story of early supermassive black holes therefore remains one of astrophysics' most persistent questions.