Paradigm shifts don't make physical phenomena possible. At best, they take an observed natural phenomena, isolate and amplify it. AFAIK nothing has been observe

Paradigm shifts don't make physical phenomena possible. At best, they take an observed natural phenomena, isolate and amplify it. AFAIK nothing has been observed moving faster than light and I don't believe there is anything even predicted to. Of course, the details of black hole physics, and early cosmological physics, are very strange and full of contradictions. To relate back to the original topic, to last for a very long time, I would imagine a civilization would require some sort of central urge even beyond simple survival, and argue that studying black holes would be one of the best, and perhaps universal motivators. (The goal of survival in-and-of-itself at the civilizational level is ironically quite nihilistic!)