1) Black holes were first theorized in 1783 and were described by Einstein's theory of general relativity in 1916. The term "black hole" was coined in 1967.
2) Black holes are regions of space where gravity is so strong that not even light can escape. They form when massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycles.
3) There are three main types of black holes - stellar black holes resulting from collapsed stars, supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, and theoretical micro black holes. Black holes cannot be seen directly but their effects on nearby stars and gas provide evidence of their existence.