{"id":791845,"date":"2024-12-08T06:34:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-08T11:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=791845"},"modified":"2024-12-08T06:34:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-08T11:34:00","slug":"are-primordial-black-holes-hiding-in-plain-sight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=791845","title":{"rendered":"Are primordial black holes hiding in plain sight?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Are Primordial Black Holes Hiding in Plain Sight?\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P2ZvYLpVAbM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Do primordial black holes exist?<\/strong> Scientists haven\u2019t found them yet, but they\u2019ve theorized about them for decades. They would have formed while the universe was rapidly expanding after the Big Bang.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A new theory suggests we might be able to find traces of them<\/strong>. Their signatures could be in planetoids in space or even objects here on Earth such as rocks, metal or glass.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The tiny black holes would leave larger objects like planetoids hollow<\/strong> on the inside. In much smaller objects, they would leave behind microscopic tunnels as they passed through.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Looking for a great astronomy-themed gift for Christmas? The 2025 EarthSky Lunar Calendar is now available! Get yours now.<\/p>\n<h3>Mysterious primordial black holes<\/h3>\n<p>Our universe is filled with black holes. In fact, astronomers now estimate there are about 40 quintillion of them in the observable universe. But for all the black holes that astronomers have found so far, none are primordial black holes. Those are small black holes that formed in the early universe long before the first stars. On December 2, 2024, researchers in the U.S. and China said those black holes might have left behind traces of their existence in unexpected ways. We might find their signatures in objects ranging from hollow planetoids (minor planets) in space to microscopic tunnels in rocks, metal and glass on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers published their peer-reviewed theoretical study in <em>ScienceDirect<\/em> on September 19, 2024. They will also publish it in the December issue of <em>Physics of the Dark Universe<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_494894\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-494894\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-494894\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View larger. | Artist\u2019s concept of small primordial black holes. A new theoretical study suggests they could be found in objects ranging from planetoids in space to rocks, metal and glass on Earth. Image via NASA\/ Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Where are primordial black holes?<\/h3>\n<p>Astronomers haven\u2019t found any primordial black holes. Yet scientists have theorized they should exist for decades. According to current theory, primordial black holes, smaller than the black holes we are now familiar with, could have formed from regions of space that were denser than their surroundings. This would be when the universe was rapidly expanding after the Big Bang.<\/p>\n<p>Some scientists think elusive dark matter might be composed of such black holes.<\/p>\n<p>Most black holes we know of are the result of dying, collapsing stars. Primordial black holes would have been much less massive, but still dense. An analogy would be if the mass of a mountain was compacted into a region the size of an atom.<\/p>\n<p>So where might they be?<\/p>\n<h3>Are primordial black holes \u2018hiding in plain sight?\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>The new study suggests they might be \u201chiding in plain sight\u201d as it were. Their signatures could range from large to small, in a variety of objects, from large planetoids in space to much smaller objects \u2013 even microscopic \u2013 right here on Earth. Even if the black holes themselves are now gone, they could have left behind evidence of their existence.<\/p>\n<p>In a planetoid, for example \u2013 a rocky body like a dwarf planet or large asteroid \u2013 the black hole could consume any liquid core. This would leave the planetoid mostly hollow inside. Conversely, if a really small black hole passed through a smaller object like a rock, or a piece of metal or glass, it might leave behind a straight hollow tunnel that could only be seen with a microscope.<\/p>\n<p>Co-author Dejan Stojkovic at the University at Buffalo\u2019s College of Arts and Sciences said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The chances of finding these signatures are small, but searching for them would not require much resources and the potential payoff, the first evidence of a primordial black hole, would be immense. We have to think outside of the box because what has been done to find primordial black holes previously hasn\u2019t worked.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Primordial black holes \u2014 small black holes born in the early universe \u2014 have been theorized but never observed ??<\/p>\n<p>A new <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/UBuffalo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#UBuffalo<\/a> study says they may have left behind hollow planetoids out in space or even microscopic tunnels in objects here on Earth ??<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 UBuffalo Science News (@UBScience) <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UBScience\/status\/1863955998815252900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 3, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>How large could a hollow planetoid be?<\/h3>\n<p>Given the potential size differences of such hollow objects, the researchers wondered how big they could be. How large could a hollowed-out planetoid be before it collapsed in on itself? As it turned out, no larger than about 1\/10 the diameter of Earth.<\/p>\n<p>The premise is that a small primordial black hole could sometimes become trapped inside a planetoid. The black hole could absorb the liquid core, leaving the object hollow. As Stojkovic said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If the object has a liquid central core, then a captured primordial black hole can absorb the liquid core, whose density is higher than the density of the outer solid layer.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But would the now-hollow planetoid be able to hold its shape, or would it collapse? The researchers said that it could retain its shape only if no larger than 1\/10 the size of Earth. Stojkovic said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If it is any bigger than that, it\u2019s going to collapse. If the object\u2019s density is too low for its size, that\u2019s a good indication it\u2019s hollow.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>Black hole tunnels?<\/h3>\n<p>While primordial black holes might end up inside planetoids, even smaller ones could also pass through smaller objects, like rocks or pieces of metal or glass right here on Earth. In that case, they would leave behind microscopic tunnels instead of hollowing out the object. Those tunnels could be extremely tiny in thickness, measured in microns.<\/p>\n<p>It would be possible to use objects, like a slab of rock, as black hole detectors. Scientists could monitor them for the sudden appearance of new tunnels. The odds of detecting a passing black hole this way would be small, to say the least. It might be better to look for already existing tunnels in material that is hundreds to billions of years old. But even then, chances would be slim. The researchers estimated the probability of finding such a tunnel at 0.000001.<\/p>\n<p>Yet it would cost very little to do these kinds of experiments and studies. As Stojkovic said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>You have to look at the cost versus the benefit. Does it cost much to do this? No, it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_494907\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-494907\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/upl\/2024\/12\/primordial-black-holes-lifetimes-diagram-May-7-2024.png\" alt=\"Chart showing various objects on Earth and a moon-like object. A white text label is beside each object. Bright reddish swirling pattern in the background and top text in white says &quot;Primordial Black Hole Lifetimes&quot;.\" width=\"800\" height=\"458\" class=\"size-full wp-image-494907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/upl\/2024\/12\/primordial-black-holes-lifetimes-diagram-May-7-2024.png 800w, https:\/\/earthsky.org\/upl\/2024\/12\/primordial-black-holes-lifetimes-diagram-May-7-2024-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/earthsky.org\/upl\/2024\/12\/primordial-black-holes-lifetimes-diagram-May-7-2024-768x440.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-494907\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View larger. | This infographic shows the estimated lifetimes and event horizon \u2013 the point past which infalling objects can\u2019t escape a black hole\u2019s gravitational grip \u2013 diameters for primordial black holes of various small masses. Image via NASA\/ Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Could black holes pass through \u2026 people?<\/h3>\n<p>If microscopic black holes could pass through objects like rocks, what about people? The researchers said that it would be unlikely during a person\u2019s lifetime. And even if it did happen, it wouldn\u2019t be noticeable. If a black hole did pass through a human body, it wouldn\u2019t destroy it or leave a tunnel or anything. Why? Because human tissue has some tension in it. The black hole would contain a huge amount of kinetic energy. But it wouldn\u2019t release any of it into a person because it is moving way too fast. As Stojkovic explained:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>If a projectile is moving through a medium faster than the speed of sound, the medium\u2019s molecular structure doesn\u2019t have time to respond. Throw a rock through a window, it\u2019s likely going to shatter. Shoot a window with a gun, it\u2019s likely to just leave a hole.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Well, that\u2019s a relief.<\/p>\n<h3>New theoretical physics framework needed<\/h3>\n<p>The whole concept of tiny black holes whizzing about sounds bizarre. But that doesn\u2019t mean scientists shouldn\u2019t look for them. Stojkovic said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The smartest people on the planet have been working on these problems [seemingly implausible physics concepts] for 80 years and have not solved them yet. We don\u2019t need a straightforward extension of the existing models. We probably need a completely new framework altogether.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Bottom line: Do tiny primordial black holes exist? A new theoretical study says we might find evidence of them in planetoids or even objects like rocks here on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>Source: ScienceDirect<\/p>\n<p>Via University at Buffalo<\/p>\n<p>Read more: More evidence for black holes as the source of dark energy<\/p>\n<p>Read more: Dark matter black holes could make Mars wobble<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"cp-load-after-post\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"post-author\">\n<h4>Paul Scott Anderson<\/h4>\n<p>                    View Articles\n                  <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-tags\">\n<h6 data-udy-fe=\"text_7c58270d\">About the Author:<\/h6>\n<p>Paul Scott Anderson has had a passion for space exploration that began when he was a child when he watched Carl Sagan\u2019s Cosmos. He studied English, writing, art and computer\/publication design in high school and college. He later started his blog The Meridiani Journal in 2005, which was later renamed Planetaria. He also later started the blog Fermi Paradoxica, about the search for life elsewhere in the universe.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nWhile interested in all aspects of space exploration, his primary passion is planetary science and SETI. In 2011, he started writing about space on a freelance basis with Universe Today. He has also written for SpaceFlight Insider and AmericaSpace and has also been published in The Mars Quarterly. He also did some supplementary writing for the iOS app Exoplanet.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nHe has been writing for EarthSky since 2018, and also assists with proofing and social media.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/space\/primordial-black-holes-universe-theoretical-physics\/?rand=772280\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do primordial black holes exist? Scientists haven\u2019t found them yet, but they\u2019ve theorized about them for decades. They would have formed while the universe was rapidly expanding after the Big&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":791846,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-791845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-earth-sky"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=791845"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791845\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/791846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=791845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=791845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=791845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}