Extremal black holes and the third law of black hole thermodynamics

Abstract: Black hole thermodynamics is a celebrated analogy between the laws of classical thermodynamics and black hole mechanics governed by the theory of general relativity. In this talk, I will give an introduction to the theory of black holes, their thermodynamics, and explain how recent advances in mathematics have led to the disproof of the “third law” of black hole thermodynamics. Based on joint work with Christoph Kehle (MIT).