Researchers propose a new approach to finding primordial black holes, which have long been theorized as invisible matter that makes up 85% of the universe’s mass. The study suggests that these small black holes could be hiding in planets, asteroids, or even everyday objects on Earth.
The team, led by Dejan Stojkovic and De-Chang Dai, calculated how large a hollow planetoid could be without collapsing in on itself and estimated the likelihood of a primordial black hole passing through an object on Earth. They found that such objects could be no bigger than one-tenth of Earth’s radius.
For objects without a liquid core, the study proposes that primordial black holes might simply pass through and leave behind a straight tunnel. This concept has been applied to rocks, metal, and glass, which could potentially serve as effective black hole detectors by being monitored for the sudden appearance of these tunnels.
While the likelihood of a primordial black hole passing through you during your lifetime is small, the researchers believe that searching for these signatures would not require much resources. “You have to think outside of the box because what has been done to find primordial black holes previously hasn’t worked,” says Stojkovic.
The study’s findings highlight the need for new theoretical frameworks to address ongoing problems in physics, including dark matter. The researchers emphasize that searching for primordial black holes could provide a breakthrough discovery with immense potential payoff.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2024-12-evidence-primordial-black-holes-planets.html