science news magazine ron cowen
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Black-hole atoms
Instead of evaporating, mini–black holes created during the Big Bang may survive and trap nearby particles into stable orbits, forming the gravitational equivalent of atoms. These survivors could contribute to the dark matter that makes up most of the cosmos’ mass. Such atomlike systems on or near Earth weighing at least 1,000 tons may be detected through emissions produced when the trapped matter falls from a higher to a lower energy state, just as electrons orbiting atoms do. Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque and Halcyon Molecular in Redwood City, Calif., describe their idea in a paper posted May 3 at arXiv.org. If such systems exist, they would shed light on black hole evaporation and quantum gravity. —Ron Cowen
Instead of evaporating, mini–black holes created during the Big Bang may survive and trap nearby particles into stable orbits, forming the gravitational equivalent of atoms. These survivors could contribute to the dark matter that makes up most of the cosmos’ mass. Such atomlike systems on or near Earth weighing at least 1,000 tons may be detected through emissions produced when the trapped matter falls from a higher to a lower energy state, just as electrons orbiting atoms do. Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque and Halcyon Molecular in Redwood City, Calif., describe their idea in a paper posted May 3 at arXiv.org. If such systems exist, they would shed light on black hole evaporation and quantum gravity. —Ron Cowen