Bang!
Scientists believe that within the initial second following the birth of the cosmos, the earliest black holes These extremely small yet incredibly dense entities—imagine an object the size of an atom with the mass of a mountain—are referred to as "primordial black holes." However, there’s a catch: No proof has been found to confirm their existence.
Now, scientists have suggested an innovative concept: Maybe the evidence has been right before our eyes, here with us all along. Earth .
In newly released research featured in the journal Physics of the Invisible Cosmos , researchers conclude the ancient objects could have left observable proof in the form of microscopic tunnels, or even in hollowed-out objects beyond our planet like asteroids. Though the chance of finding micro-tunnels on Earth is likely small, they may be present in places around us, like the rocks, glass, and metal of buildings — particularly old buildings.
“The hardest part is noticing what’s right before your eyes,” said Dejan Stojkovic, a physics professor at the University at Buffalo and co-author of the study, during an interview with Pawonation.com.
Black holes are almost unimaginably dense If Earth were hypothetically compressed into a black hole, it would end up being less than an inch wide. Nowadays, numerous black holes are created when enormous celestial bodies such as stars collapse, often after explosive events. supernova Explosions. These items aren't uncommon; they likely exist in abundance. 100 million wandering black holes wandering our Milky Way Galaxy alone.
However, searching for the initial black holes in space remains unsuccessful. Even though astronomers can observe massive black holes using telescopes — due to these entities accumulating substantial quantities of rapidly spinning matter Around them emanating abundant energy—primordial black holes are too minuscule to gather significant matter. Additionally, these black holes are thought to release a form of energy known as Hawking radiation, expected to be particularly strong in smaller black holes; however, this has not been observed yet. Nonetheless, theoretical physicists argue that they must exist somewhere.
"Concrete observational proof of tiny black holes remains absent, yet based on our understanding of the early universe, these should naturally occur without requiring any unusual physics," explained Stojkovic.
The hardest thing to notice is often something directly in front of you.
Therefore, Stojkovic suggested an innovative approach: utilizing microscopes to search for minuscule channels on our planet’s surface formed by ancient, yet powerful, primordial black holes. These microscopic pathways resemble the damage caused when a high-velocity projectile pierces through a pane of glass. Investigating older substances offers better chances since these materials have existed longer and thus had increased exposure time for potential encounters with black holes. Moreover, examining these tunnels is considerably less expensive compared to constructing highly sophisticated detection equipment, particularly within this budget-conscious scientific discipline. funding is tight and highly competitive — even for NASA .
As examining ancient materials for tiny tunnels would likely constitute just a minor portion of the expense associated with constructing an exclusive astrophysical device—which often comes at a price tag ranging from millions to billions of dollars—Stojkovic pointed out. 'Importantly, anywhere on Earth has an equal chance of being struck by a minuscule black hole,' he added.
He mentioned that the likelihood of discovering a tunnel is "quite slim," yet this reflects the nature of investigating clues left behind by these tiny, enigmatic, and ancient particles. Stojkovic pointed out that physicists are similarly searching for incredibly rare "magnetic monopoles" — another theoretical particle — using sophisticated equipment. Indeed, locating a magnetic monopole has been challenging; however, should they succeed, the scientific rewards could be immense.
Even though finding a black hole micro-tunnel on Earth could be incredibly exciting, the researchers propose exploring other locations within our solar system as well. solar system . More specifically, at relatively small objects like a moon or asteroid with a liquid core ( Jupiter 's moon Ganymede, for example, has a liquid core). A primordial black hole speeding through space could impact such an object, use its strong gravitational power to soak up the core, and ultimately, after escaping, leave just a hollow crust.
According to the calculations made by the researchers, such a void structure could not exceed approximately one-tenth of Earth's radius, which equates to around 400 miles; otherwise, it would likely collapse. Importantly, telescopes have the capability to observe both the motion and mass of these objects. “Should an object possess insufficient density relative to its dimensions, this strongly suggests hollowness,” Stojkovic stated independently in a university release.
These concepts are quite innovative. However, the failed search for primordial black holes could necessitate unconventional approaches. I inquired with Stojkovic whether anyone previously tried to detect these microscopic tunnels here on Earth.
As far as we know," he stated, "it seems like no one has considered it so far.
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