Is there a black hole inside our Earth?
Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Primordial Black Holes (PBHs)
Scientists have long hypothesized the existence of small primordial black holes (PBHs), believed to have formed shortly after the Big Bang through the gravitational collapse of dense subatomic matter pockets.
Dark Matter and Gravitational Waves
PBHs are now considered potential candidates for dark matter and sources of primordial gravitational waves, offering a solution to several unsolved cosmological problems. However, no confirmed PBH observation has been made to date.
New Detection Method
Recent research proposes that PBHs could be hiding inside stars, planets, and asteroids. These black holes may be slowly consuming the gas within their host bodies, and this consumption could offer a way to detect them.
Hollow Planetary Structures
The study suggests that if PBHs reside in planets with liquid cores and solid crusts, they could consume the liquid core, leaving behind a hollow structure. The crust, if strong enough, would remain intact, creating a detectable anomaly.
Asteroids and Planetoids as Targets
Asteroids, moons, and small planets with solid crusts and liquid interiors are the most likely candidates to contain PBHs. These objects could be identified by observing discrepancies between their mass and radius, indicating a hollow core.
Materials and PBHs
Researchers examined how different materials, such as granite and manufactured carbon nanotubes, would respond to the gravitational stress from a PBH. For example, they calculated that granite could support hollow structures up to 1/10 of Earth's radius.
Tunnels from PBH Passage
Small PBHs passing through solid materials could leave micro-tunnels as traces of their passage. Detecting these tunnels in materials such as glass, rocks, or prepared metal slabs could provide evidence of PBHs.
Potential Discoveries
Although detecting PBHs may be challenging due to their small expected flux, the study’s authors emphasize that the low cost and simplicity of proposed detection methods, such as searching for micro-tunnels, make the potential payoff significant if PBHs are found.