Supernova explosions, black holes and neutron stars

Modern supernova simulations suggest that one or more of three general classes of explosion mechanisms are employed by Nature to end the life of a massive star and to give birth to neutron stars and black holes. These are the neutrino, acoustic, and MHD mechanisms. However, though the computer codes currently applied to this puzzle incorporate the requisite physics with increasing fidelity, they are not yet able to settle the question. Moreover, it is now clear that the Gamma-Ray Burst phenomenom and the supernova phenomenom are related, however distantly. I will present results of various simulations, the physics behind them, and predictions concerning the gravitational-wave, neutrino, and pulsar signatures of various scenarios. The goal is to summarize where the theory that subsumes supernova explosions, GRBs, and the birth of compact objects is and where it is going.