There is something about the infinite expanse of the universe that just keeps my eyes glued to the black sky at night for hours at end sometimes. As a kid I used to count stars in the night sky and as an adult, I just wish I could witness all that magnificence up close.
The universe is so large that it is simply beyond our comprehension. In fact, all that we see in the universe, including the trillions of stars, planets, gas, dust, all form only 4% of the total universe. We don’t even understand the rest of the 96% of it all.
Even the 4% that we can observe directly, contains so many objects and bodies and phenomena that we are yet to understand fully, one of which is something called a black hole.
Black holes are basically regions in space that have such a huge gravitational field that not even light can escape it, let alone matter. Today, I want to talk about a few mind bending facts like these about black holes.
1. Time Slows Down Near A Black Hole
Let’s start with a big one. Black holes are so intense that even time itself slows down around it. If you are wondering how something like that is even possible, let me try and explain in simple words.
According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, time slows down near a massive body, like stars and planets for example. Since black holes are extremely dense (large amount of mass in a relatively smaller size), they have a huge amount of mass and therefore huge amount of gravitational field.
So, the slowing down of time is considerable near a black hole and at the event horizon (the point of no return), time even appears to stop for an observer outside the black hole! If you’ve seen the movie Interstellar you’ll understand this pretty easily.
2. Spaghettification
I swear that is an actual world. In fact it was Stephen Hawking himself who coined this term and the phenomenon is exactly what the word sounds like.
If you dare to venture inside a black hole, you will literally be converted into spaghetti! Let’s say you go feet first towards the centre of a black hole. The difference between the gravitational pull on your legs and your head is huge.
So, the legs start getting pulled towards the centre with a much greater force. The faster it is pulled, the more you are stretched. This continues on an on until you are turned into spaghetti like that unfortunate astronaut in the photo above.
3. We Just Don’t Know What’s At The Centre
The most interesting and frustrating thing about black holes is that the laws of physics break down after the even horizon, which is the point of no return. A point from where even light cannot escape.
The centre of the black hole is called the singularity, which is basically scientists' way of saying that they have absolutely no clue what the centre is like.
And discovering that is a real challenge (almost to a point of impossibility) because how can we have information about a place from where nothing returns!!
4. Black Holes Could Spawn New Universes
One of the many theories about black holes is that, maybe all the matter sucked in by a black hole goes to the centre which is the creation point of another universe.
So, in theory, we could have universes inside of universes and our universe might be inside a black hole in another universe! Freaky, isn't it?
Unfortunately, we have absolutely no way of testing this out as I talked in the third point, we just can't yet know what is at the centre of black holes!
hahahah PERFECT!!
LoL. I am still laughing with my own post lol
Yeah, this has to be one of the funniest science memes!! :D
Hahahahahaha well said, this is so funny
I think the title of the post should be four facts instead of five, shouldn't it? :D
Note that the fourth point is not a fact, in contrast to the first three. Just an option, as you said :)
Yeah, that was an error that I'm kicking myself for committing! lol
Yeah, the fourth is not a fact at all, just a theory suggested by many.
Many is very relative... (in short: I don't buy it, but this is an opinion :D )
Yeah, it's far-fetched in my opinion too. It would just make everything so complex, wouldn't it?
Yep. We love simplicity, but sometimes, things are not that simple...
feels like morgan freeman science show ;)
Is that a good thing or bad? ;)
I am un convinced that black holes exist.
But there are a lot of observations that confirm this. The recent discovery of gravitational waves was possible due to the collision of two black holes.
the observations are just that...observations.
the interpretation is something else.
The nice thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe it.
yup...
facts are facts..
for example if you hear hoofbeats in the dark
is it a herd of horses, aardvarks, zebras, wildebeasts, antelope or mules?
facts are facts...you heard the hoofbeats..that's a fact.
how you interpret them...that's a hypothesis.
amazing post, thanks for sharing
Thanks!
O shit
??
I have always find black holes as something interesting. I have mentioned several times here that my first science project in school was a research about black holes :P
Did you watch the movie interstellar?
Yeah they are very interesting. Yes, of course I watched interstellar :P In fact, my next post is going to be about interstellar ;)
There is also the white hole theory that would spit out in 1 second the thousand years of black hole absorption in a random point in the universe
Yes, that is an equally interesting theory!
mmm that interestingly I had not heard about the second theory, good of so much that they are composed of certain theories that together with spiritual knowledge are very much related .. thanks for your post.
haha, yeah the second one is really mind-boggling!
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thanks!!
That's interesting... There are so many ways to look at it. If you're interested in space travel check out an article we posted about Virgin's accomplishment in the space travel industry. It's crazy how fast these planes can fly... If you follow this link it'll take you right there! Let me know what you think 🚀
Yeah, I am really interested in all things space and yeah, I have done a lot of reading on that Virgin plane. Space tourism could be a reality sooner rather than later.
Never heard about the 2nd and the 4th theory. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, they are very interesting.
Time= Blackholes
No, black holes are not time!
Mind blowing post, well shared
Thanks!
I learnt the word Spaghettification and new word for nothing - singularity. You put a complex subject into normal speak so well, I got a lot out of it, thank you.
Thank you for the kind words :) Yes, I like to explain complex topics in simple words. :)
5 we just dont know nothing thats it
They could also serve as portals in a multidimensional universe if we speculate through the windows of string theory. Interesting write-up. Spaghetti? Quite a funny effect i would like to experience myself, perhaps one day.
I mean if humans could withstand the physical force and turn into spaghetti that would be interesting.