centra

The detection of gravitational waves has revived interest in theoretical scenarios in which black holes are replaced by horizonless ultra-compact configurations with a radius that is arbitrarily close to the Schwarzschild radius. The theoretical status of these hypothetical objects is however uncertain. In this seminar I will present some recent developments aimed at constructing these objects from robust theoretical building blocks. Using ingredients of quantum field theory in curved spacetimes, I will argue that semiclassical effects are able to provide the key element to construct horizonless ultra-compact configurations of a particular kind (at least in static scenarios).