Primordial Black Holes Might be Hidden in Planets or Everyday Objects on Earth

When you think of black hole formation, you likely picture a massive star collapsing under its own gravity. However, the early universe’s chaotic conditions might have also produced small black holes, known as primordial black holes, long before the first stars existed.

These black holes, theorized for decades, could even be the elusive dark matter that makes up 85% of the universe’s mass. Yet, despite extensive research, no primordial black hole has ever been directly observed.

A new study led by the University at Buffalo suggests thinking both big and small to detect their signatures. These black holes could create large, hollow planetoids in space or leave microscopic tunnels in everyday materials like rocks, metal, or glass here on Earth. The findings, set for publication in Physics of the Dark Universe, propose that a primordial black hole trapped in a planet or asteroid might consume its liquid core, leaving behind a hollow shell. Alternatively, faster-moving black holes could punch straight tunnels through solid materials, visible under a microscope.

“The chances of finding these signatures are slim, but the potential discovery of a primordial dark hole would be groundbreaking,” says co-author Dejan Stojkovic, PhD. Unlike past methods, this approach leverages unique structural anomalies to identify these elusive objects.

Hollow Planetoids: Detectable Anomalies No Larger Than One-Tenth of Earth’s Radius

The study calculated that hollow planetoids could be no larger than one-tenth of Earth’s radius, beyond which they would collapse. These hollow objects could be detected by analyzing their density and orbital characteristics.

In addition to cosmic observations, the researchers suggest using ancient materials on Earth as potential black hole detectors. Large slabs of metal or rock could reveal tunnels left by passing black holes, though the probability of finding such evidence is extremely low.

Despite the long odds, Stojkovic emphasizes that the search is worth the minimal cost, given the potential for monumental discoveries. Even if a primordial black hole were to pass through a person, it would likely cause no harm due to the high speed and low interaction with human tissue.

The study highlights the need for innovative theoretical approaches to solve persistent cosmic mysteries, including dark matter. “We may need an entirely new framework to make progress,” says Stojkovic.

Read Original Article: ScienceDaily

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