We’ve all heard of these mysterious objects capable of entrapping anything – even light.

Gravitational waves are not a rare phenomenon that happens only once in a while in our universe. Rather, such waves pass through the Earth on a daily basis, generated by cosmic events of various types. Studying their origins can teach us a great deal about the universe at large.

The development of gravitational wave detectors has made it possible for astronomers to penetrate the deepest corners of the universe in search of black holes and neutron stars.

The author presents a sketch of the history of concepts and imaginative geography of the lands located in the hereafter: earthly and heavenly Paradise, Purgatory and Heaven. He reaches back to the origins of these images in ancient Eastern cultures, the culture of Antiquity, and patristic writings. He traces their development throughout the Middle Ages to the time of Dante, whose La Commedia sanctioned the separation of the hereafter into topographically located Hell, Purgatory and Paradise.