Few things in the universe have a worse reputation than black holes, but physicist Janna Levine hopes to change that with her new book. Black Hole Survival Guide.
“People think of black holes as ga ense objects, and they get trapped in the ‘monster truck’ aspect, that they destroy things,” Levine says in episode 2 44૨ Singer’s Guide to the Galaxy Podcast. “And I think it differs from some of the more bizarre and uplifting and glorious aspects of this very strange event.”
A century of scientific research has given us the condition to think of black holes like vortices in space, violent melastromes that reach voids to pull passing starships. But Levine says the reality is very different, and you can fall into a black hole without realizing it.
“If you were in an empty space with complete darkness, and you were outside a black hole, you wouldn’t know it was there,” he says. “And if you cross the horizon of the event, it will be completely undermatic. You would just float, and not realize that anything was really going on, because there was nothing. “
Despite their terrifying reputation, black holes can be safely manipulated by gravity and magnetism, and it is also possible to extract power from them, although it will not soon be practical to do so. Says Levine, “I once tried to imagine what a black hole battery would take to power New York City. “I think I have come to the conclusion that we have to use all the resources of the solar system. Maybe we should make it from the moon, or a giant earth-sized magnet. It will be very difficult to get much power out of it. “
Another potential use for black holes would be to look beyond your lifetime. A person who flew into a supermassive black hole can last up to a year, and he will be able to receive messages from outside. Due to the time fragmentation, those messages can fully accept future history.
“If you know you have one year to live, but you want to see your grandchildren born, you can go on this epic journey so that your children have time to grow up, have children and you have your grandchildren born. See you, ”says Levin.
Listen to the full interview with Janna Levine in episode 442 Singer’s Guide to the Galaxy Check out some of the highlights from the discussion above (above) and below.
Janna Levine on publication:
“Everyone [at the publisher] Was really excited about the concept of this sweet little book, and I think once it came out, we all enjoyed how small it was. I think that’s really a special feature. No one said [it should be longer]. My people are really decent people. I think they really think the book should be a book, and they don’t like that kind of psychology. Otherwise I don’t think I’d publish anything, if there was a commercial appeal – I mean, do people really think, ‘Oh, I would love a book about whether the universe is infinite or finite. And maybe we can get a novel about mathematicians? So I feel very lucky to meet those collaborators. “
Janna Levine at Pioneer Works:
“I’m the director of science there – I’ve started a science studio there – and we have a lot of live events, or we used to be before the epidemic. We have a beautiful, three-story high-rise iron work factory in the Salting Hot Hall to communicate with animal consciousness or the many worlds, or to communicate with Richard Dawkins. Of course we can’t do that right now, and maybe never will. This could be something we would turn to in movies and think, ‘Oh gosh, can you imagine? People coming shoulder to shoulder? ‘The surprise for us was that he had such a large audience. We weren’t sure we would show anyone when we started. ”
Janna Levine on Black Hole Weapons:
“If you put a black hole spinning in a magnetic field, it will cause a lot of destruction. Jets are basically like huge ray guns, where energy X-rays, gamma rays, high-powered particles are flying in these magnetic fields, there are thin jets that can then break out of the galaxy and be punched in other galaxies. . Really observed that – the destruction of any exoplanet, possibly., Which would be in that part of the galaxy and any sensory life that is trying to emerge there. So you don’t want to be in the jet’s line of fire, as with it will come all the attendant biological consequences of being struck by too much radiation. … [Aiming those jets] Not impossible, but it’s very difficult. “
Janna Levine on finding black holes:
“It could be a real navigational crisis. How do you know if you are driving in one? You may have noticed that you were not going the way you wanted, because your engines were not keeping you on track successfully and you were turning towards someone, and you would notice that you were just off the road. So this would be a way to consider it, but if you go straight for it, and it is not fully illuminated by any background light, you will not necessarily know. … If you swam close enough, you could hear it by concept, even in a vacuum, because your ear will oscillate in response [gravitational] Gloves more easily than the rest of you. “
