What happens if the Earth falls into a black hole

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Black holes are the most attractive celestial bodies. But what if, instead of drawing your attention figuratively, one of them begins to attract the Earth to itself? The British astrophysicist spoke about what could happen in this case.

Black holes are enduringly popular in modern culture. It is unlikely that any other type of space objects (except asteroids and meteorites, of course) attracts so many researchers and those who are simply interested in space. Interest in black holes is fueled by both the Hadron Collider and the recent discovery of gravitational waves.

Just in connection with the latest discovery, it can be argued that black holes do exist. This means that we may well meet with them. Astrophysicist Kevin Pimbblet from the University of Hull in the UK told what would happen if our planet began to fall into a black hole. According to Pimbblet, there are several scenarios for the development of events.

The most interesting and difficult to imagine and understand was the scenario called "spaghettification". Let's take a closer look at this process.

The part of our planet that is closer to the black hole will be attracted somewhat faster. So the substance will gradually begin to flow in a thin stream towards the black hole, becoming thinner and longer. As a result, the Earth will take the form of an infinitely long thread, which will disappear from the field of view at the edge of the event horizon. The same will happen with all objects on the planet. And only then, after a long enough time, the black hole will suck in all the matter that makes up the Earth.

How the human senses will work at this time is unknown. It is quite possible that when entering a black hole, earthlings will not notice anything unusual. At least if it is a very large black hole - this is how the physics of the event horizon works.

Another scenario assumes a less original and more unambiguous development of events. If the black hole is located in the center of the quasar, the planet will be burned up on the way. And there is no need to talk about any unique physical processes in this case.

Well, the last scenario proposed by Pimbblet seems absolutely fantastic. According to the scientist, there is some possibility that the planet will not disappear forever as a result of the attraction of the Earth by a black hole. No, the planet we know will be destroyed. But instead of it a kind of "hologram", an inaccurate copy, will appear.

Unfortunately, all options are now unconfirmed hypotheses. We know too little about black holes. Thanks to research carried out with the giant LIGO interferometer, we only know that they exist. But what is in the black hole, beyond the event horizon, and whether the human brain operating in three-dimensional space is capable of representing it, remains one of the most interesting mysteries of modern science.