"In 1968, physicist John Archibald Wheeler popularized the term "black hole" to describe collapsed stars that have undergone total gravitational collapse, leading to a singularity from which no light can escape... Wheeler's introduction of the term helped to demystify the concept of black holes and fostered greater public and scientific interest in the field. His pioneering research contributed to the understanding of the potential existence of black holes as significant energy sources, particularly in the centers of galaxies, and positioned him alongside other prominent figures in theoretical physics. The ongoing search for black holes, including candidates like Cygnus X-1, continues to inspire research and deepen our understanding of fundamental cosmic phenomena and the fabric of space-time." (Zabilka).

A black hole is a supermassive star that has collapsed due to exhausting its supply of nuclear fuel, and therefore gravity compresses it into a superdense sphere that absorbs anything that approaches it; not even light can escape. 

John Archibald Wheeler was a pioneer in black hole research and responsible for popularizing our undersatnding of this complex phenomenon. He was a prominent physicist and mentor for Nobel prize winner, Kip S. Thorne.

"John Archibald Wheeler is a major figure in twentieth century particle and gravitational physics. Along with Schwarzschild, Oppenheimer, Roy Kerr, and Stephen W. Hawking, he stands as a pioneer in the understanding and theory of black holes. Among the most significant contributions Wheeler made was breaking down the psychological barrier that exists for scientists and public alike to believe in something that has an esoteric name. By giving the singularity a common name like black hole, Wheeler put it within reach and made acceptance of the unusual theoretical results easier.

Wheeler’s timing was also impeccable. While Wheeler and many others, especially Hawking, had been studying singularities for several years immediately after the radio discovery of the pulsars and their explanation in terms of neutron stars, the total collapse into singularities was the next logical step. By giving these objects a catchy name, Wheeler was able to bring them to attention and start the massive outpouring of interest that followed.

Black holes provide clues to the resolution of outstanding difficulties in cosmology. They have been proposed as explanations of the missing mass needed to bring the mass of the universe to a level where the expansion will be slow and eventually reverse into the next phase of collapse. They have been proposed as a source of the massive energy outpouring of the quasars. Further, they appear to hold significant implications for studies in the field of general relativity. Wheeler has pioneered in seeking a theory that would combine quantum physics and general relativity into a theory of quantum gravity, a first step in formulating the long-sought unified field theory in relativity studies. At the present time, relativistic equations break down when confronted with the infinite forces and gravity of a singularity.

The most fruitful consequence of the naming and study of black holes has been the significant research stimulated by the effort to find black holes. While incontrovertible proof is not yet available, Cygnus X-1 and two or three other dynamical doubles where objects on the order of 10 solar masses are invisible are circumstantial candidates for status as black holes. The search to strengthen the evidence continues, and exciting results will continue to develop."