Creation Then Destruction

Understanding: The enigmatic nature of black holes renders them one of the most captivating objects in our universe. These regions in space are characterized by an intense gravitational force that is so potent that even light, the fastest known entity in our universe, cannot escape. The boundary of a black hole is referred to as the event horizon, which marks a point of no return beyond which visibility is impossible. When an object crosses the event horizon, it collapses into the black hole's singularity, an infinitely small and dense point where the laws of physics, space, and time no longer apply. Scientists have postulated various types of black holes, with stellar and supermassive black holes being the most prevalent. Stellar black holes are formed when massive stars die and collapse, and they are scattered throughout the universe. Supermassive black holes, on the other hand, are significantly larger, measuring millions or even billions of times more massive than our sun. Although scientists can only speculate on how they form, they are known to exist at the center of most large galaxies, including our own. The detection and study of black holes are only possible through the observation of their impact on nearby matter, such as accretion disks and quasars. Black holes remained largely unknown until the 20th century, when Karl Schwartzschild, a German physicist, used Einstein's general theory of relativity to calculate that any mass could become a black hole if compressed tightly enough. The first black hole was discovered in 1971 by astronomers studying the constellation Cygnus. Countless black holes are scattered throughout the universe, constantly altering entire galaxies and inspiring both scientists and our collective imagination.

The Test: Black holes possess the ability to annihilate everything in their path, but can they themselves be destroyed? What would happen if we were to push the boundaries of physics to their absolute limits, even to the point of breaking them and the universe in the process?

In order to explore this question, we propose the creation of a miniature black hole, equivalent in mass to that of our moon, within the confines of the Kurzgesagt Labs. We will then proceed to subject it to a series of destructive forces, including nuclear explosions and other high-impact measures. As black holes are known to consume all matter and energy that enters their event horizon, the energy released by these destructive measures will only serve to increase the mass of the black hole, proportional to its size.

We will also investigate the effects of antimatter on the black hole, as matter and antimatter are known to annihilate each other. However, it is important to note that once an object enters a black hole, its past identity is completely erased, regardless of whether it is composed of matter or antimatter. This phenomenon highlights the fact that black holes are similar to elementary particles, as they can be fully described by just three characteristics: mass, spin, and charge.

Given that black holes are essentially particles, it is reasonable to ask whether they can be destroyed by their corresponding antiparticles. However, when a black hole and its antiparticle collide, their charges will simply cancel out, resulting in a new black hole with twice the mass and no charge.

In order to truly destroy a black hole, we must consider the possibility of breaking its event horizon. This can be achieved by increasing the black hole's spin or charge to the point where the event horizon dissolves, allowing objects to escape its gravitational pull. While this may seem like an impossible feat, some physicists believe that it may be achievable through overfeeding the black hole with objects possessing a small mass and a large amount of charge or angular momentum.

However, there are limits to the amount of charge or spin that a black hole can sustain before it reaches its upper limit and refuses to be overfed. Therefore, the possibility of destroying a black hole through overfeeding remains a subject of debate among scientists.

In conclusion, while the destruction of a black hole may seem like an insurmountable task, it is a question that continues to intrigue and challenge physicists around the world.