Science fiction fans know them as dense, sometimes inescapable objects but black holes could be closer to home than you might imagine. While deep space is littered with black holes formed by the collapse of giant stars, a miniature form also exists – and may even be passing through the Earth on a daily basis.And unlike the larger black holes that swallow everything – even light – past a certain point, the mini black holes instead hold objects in an orbit.
According to a paper by Aaron P. VanDevender from Halcyon Molecular in Redwood City, California, and J. Pace VanDevender from Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the orbiting effect is similar to the way electrons orbit a nucleus without collapsing inwards. In their study, the VanDevenders theorise that some mini black holes are so small that they are able to exist on Earth as well as passing through the planet without causing any damage...read more...
