Can We Make a Subatomic Black Hole?
A black hole is an incredibly mysterious and powerful astronomical phenomenon. The concept of a black hole being formed by the collapse of a single atom is even more fascinating, but just how feasible is it to create a subatomic black hole? In this article we explore the possibility.
What is a Subatomic Black Hole?
A subatomic black hole is the result of a single atom becoming so dense that its gravitational pull creates an area of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. This would make it the smallest and most compact form of a black hole.
Why Do Some People Think We Can Make a Subatomic Black Hole?
While the creation of a subatomic black hole is an extreme long shot, there are several theories that support the concept. One of the most popular theories is based on the particle accelerator. Two high-energy beams of particles traveling in opposite directions can theoretically be made to collide so violently that a singularity, the core of a black hole, could be produced.
Advantages of Creating a Subatomic Black Hole
The advantages would be immense. Subatomic black holes are believed to be able to exist for only a few femtoseconds (approximately 1 quadrillionth of a second) before dissipating into Hawking radiation. During its existence, it might be possible to use the black hole to probe the very structure of matter, allowing observations which could reveal answers to some of the deepest mysteries surrounding the tiny universe of the subatomic world.
Limitations of Creating a Subatomic Black Hole
Few scientists believe that the technology does not yet exist to generate the bursts of energy required to produce a subatomic black hole, no matter how brief its life span. Even if this technology were to become available, there are many potential dangers associated with its use.
Potential Dangers
Researchers are concerned that if too much matter were to collapse into a black hole, it could potentially break through the “event horizon” and cause it to expand uncontrollably, potentially threatening the universe as we know it. Another worry is what a black hole might do to our own planet, if the event horizon were to get too close.
Alternative Possibilities
An alternative to the particle accelerator method of creating a subatomic black hole is to subject a single atom to a massive energy pulse that would cause it to collapse into a black hole. This method is even less feasible, as it would require an unimaginably large energy source, far beyond anything we currently have available.
The idea of creating a subatomic black hole is an incredibly exciting prospect, however the technology and energy sources necessary to do this currently do not exist, and even if they did, the potential risks would be immense. Therefore, for now, the idea of making a subatomic black hole must remain just that—an idea.
