Study reveals how micro black hole would implode your brain if you accidentally walked through one
It is a terrifying scenario straight out of science fiction.
So, what would happen if you were struck by a primordial black hole?
We already know that coming into contact with a stellar-mass black hole would be deadly.
However, in a new study, Professor Robert Scherrer, an astrophysicist from Vanderbilt University, set out to assess whether being hit with an atom-sized black hole would be as catastrophic.
His calculations show that an atom-sized black hole with the mass of an asteroid would pull the cells of your brain apart in microseconds.
However, the deadliest effect would be the shockwaves this microscopic projectile would send rippling through your body.
'The shock wave produced in this process would be similar to that produced by a bullet passing through the human body,' Professor Scherrer explained.
The expert adds that even the smallest black holes possible would hit with as much force as a .22-calibre rifle bullet.
A terrifying study reveals what would happen if you were hit by an atom-sized 'primordial' black hole with the mass of a large asteroid. Pictured: NASA's illustration of primordial black holes
If a black hole hit your head, the gravitational forces would tear your brain appart at the cellular level. This would kill you in the microseconds it took for the black hole to pass through (stock image)
Unlike enormous 'stellar mass' black holes like the one at the centre of the Milky Way, primordial black holes are comparatively tiny.
But while they are small, primordial black holes are still extremely dense and have enormously powerful gravitational fields.
Those tidal forces are so strong that they would literally tear the cells in your body apart as they pass through.
Parts of the cells closer to the black hole would be pulled more strongly than those further away.
The difference between these forces would rip the cells in your body into pieces, killing you instantly.
Moving at almost 450,000 miles per hour (720,000 kmph), a primordial black hole would pass through the brain in microseconds, exerting a tidal force between 10 and 100 newtons.
For a black hole with a mass of 7x (10^12) tonnes (that's seven followed by 12 zeroes), this force is enough to ensure the destruction of all the brain tissue, leading to almost certain death.
But this is not the deadliest consequence of being hit with a black hole.
Scientists believe that primordial black holes formed a the beginning of the universe and have slowly been losing mass over time as illustrated in this graphic. This means they must be above a certain size to avoid having disappeared entirely
If a primordial black hole hit your body, it would transfer a huge amount of energy in the form of a supersonic shockwave.
As that energy ripples through your body it would kill every cell in its path just like an explosion bursing from inside your tissues.
Professor Scherrer calculated that a black hole with a mass of 140 billion tonnes would deliver the same lethal force as a .22-calibre rifle bullet.
Just like a gunshot, that would be enough power to rupture organs, tear flesh, and destroy your brain.
While bigger black holes could be even more deadly, this is the smallest black hole that could be fatal.
Thankfully, Professor Scherrer maintains that the risk to humanity is essentially zero.
Primordial black holes, if they exist, are simply too rare for there to be any real chance of one hitting the tiny target of a human’s vital organs amidst the entire expanse of the universe.
However, Professor Scherrer says that one of the most surprising findings is that you could survive being hit by some black holes.
However, scientists say that some primordial black holes could be so small that they would pass through your body harmlessly despite having the same mass as a small asteroid
Primordial black holes vary in mass from 100,000 greater than the sun, to 100,000 lighter than a paperclip.
Black holes smaller than 140 billion tonnes might cause damage but wouldn't pack enough of a punch to cause a fatal wound.
Some of the really tiny black holes would even be able to pass through your body without harming the tissue around them.
Professor Scherrer says that a black hole with a mass of 10 billion tonnes, equal to that of a medium-sized asteroid, could 'pass right through the human body and cause only negligible gravitational effects.'
Although that is on the lower end of their possible mass, a direct hit from a black hole might not even be painful let alone fatal.
This means that a black hole could already have passed right between your eyes without you ever noticing.
