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♪♪
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Narrator:
COSMOLOGISTS ARE BATTLING OVER
THE UNIVERSE'S GREATEST ENIGMA.
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00:00:14,248 --> 00:00:17,116
BLACK HOLES.
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WE'VE NEVER SEEN THEM.
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00:00:19,053 --> 00:00:21,520
IT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE
TO STUDY THEM.
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AND THEIR EXISTENCE
CHALLENGES EVERYTHING
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WE THINK WE KNOW ABOUT SPACE.
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THE BLACK HOLE REPRESENTS
THE ABSOLUTE LIMITS
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OF WHAT WE UNDERSTAND
ABOUT NATURE.
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THE TRUTH IS, WE HAVE ALMOST
NO IDEA WHAT THESE THINGS ARE
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00:00:38,739 --> 00:00:41,006
AND HOW THEY WORK.
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Narrator: BLACK HOLES ARE AT
THE VERY HEART OF COSMOLOGY.
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YET, SOME SCIENTISTS QUESTION
IF THEY'RE EVEN REAL.
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BLACK HOLES PRESENT
LOTS OF PARADOXES,
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00:00:52,352 --> 00:00:55,487
AND THE SIMPLEST WAY TO RESOLVE
THE PARADOXES WOULD BE
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00:00:55,489 --> 00:00:59,157
IF BLACK HOLES
DIDN'T EXIST AT ALL.
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Narrator: SOLVING THE MYSTERIES
OF BLACK HOLES
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PUSHES OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF PHYSICS
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TO THE EDGE OF REASON.
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BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO DISCOVER
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IF BLACK HOLES REALLY EXIST.
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-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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♪♪
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BLACK HOLES ARE THE MONSTERS
OF THE UNIVERSE --
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TERRIFYING COSMIC BEASTS
THAT DEVOUR ALL THEY ENCOUNTER.
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BUT BLACK HOLES SCARE SCIENTISTS
FOR VERY DIFFERENT REASONS.
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THEY CHALLENGE OUR THEORIES
TO THE BREAKING POINT.
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THIS IS AT THE FOREFRONT
OF THEORETICAL PHYSICS.
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Krauss: WHEN IT COMES TO THE
DETAILED NATURE OF BLACK HOLES,
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IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME
IF WE GOT IT ALL WRONG.
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♪♪
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Narrator:
THE SCIENCE OF BLACK HOLES
IS SO CHALLENGING
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THAT SOME SCIENTISTS QUESTION
WHETHER THEY EXIST AT ALL.
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♪♪
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DESPITE THEIR FEARSOME
REPUTATION,
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WE'VE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN ONE.
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BLACK HOLES ARE EVERYWHERE.
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE UNIVERSE.
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THEY'RE ALL THROUGHOUT
OUR GALAXY.
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BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT THEY'RE EASY TO FIND.
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Sutter: THEY'RE BLACK,
AND SPACE IS BLACK,
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AND BLACK-ON-BLACK
IS KIND OF HARD
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TO SEE IN A PICTURE OF SPACE.
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Narrator: THIS IS PARADOXICAL
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BECAUSE SCIENTISTS BELIEVE
BLACK HOLES ARE BORN
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IN SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST
EXPLOSIONS IN THE UNIVERSE...
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...RISING FROM THE CORPSES
OF DETONATED STARS
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MANY TIMES LARGER THAN OUR SUN.
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A STAR THAT BURNS
FOR 10 MILLION YEARS
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COLLAPSES TO FORM A BLACK HOLE
IN A PERIOD OF SECONDS.
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Narrator: AS IT COLLAPSES,
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THE OUTER REGION OF THE STAR
HITS THE CORE,
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TRIGGERING A HUGE EXPLOSION --
A SUPERNOVA.
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WE SEE THE BANG,
BUT NOT WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND...
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...A DEAD CORE WITH
THE ENORMOUS MASS OF THE STAR
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CRUSHED DOWN INTO
AN INFINITESIMAL, TINY AREA.
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♪♪
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FROM THIS MINUSCULE
HIGH-MASS CORE,
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A BLACK HOLE IS BORN.
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THE FLOW OF GRAVITY IS SO STRONG
THAT NOTHING CAN ESCAPE --
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NOT EVEN LIGHT.
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Narrator:
BUT HOW CAN SCIENTISTS CLAIM
THAT BLACK HOLES EXIST
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IF WE CAN'T EVEN SEE THEM?
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♪♪
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Plait: YOU COULD SAY THAT ABOUT
THE EXISTENCE OF THE ATOM.
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WE KNEW THEY HAD EXISTED
FOR DECADES, CENTURIES
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00:04:26,633 --> 00:04:31,770
BEFORE WE HAD ACTUALLY SEEN ONE
IN SOME SORT OF IMAGING DEVICE.
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00:04:31,772 --> 00:04:34,072
AND SO IT'S THE SAME SORT
OF THING WITH BLACK HOLES.
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Stricker:
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE IT
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT THERE.
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00:04:38,579 --> 00:04:41,179
NOT SEEING BLACK HOLES
BUT KNOWING THEY'RE THERE
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00:04:41,181 --> 00:04:42,381
IS A POSSIBILITY,
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00:04:42,383 --> 00:04:44,783
JUST LIKE WE KNOW
THAT WIND IS THERE,
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EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T SEE AIR.
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00:04:49,390 --> 00:04:52,457
Narrator: AIR IS INVISIBLE,
BUT WHEN THE WIND BLOWS,
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00:04:52,459 --> 00:04:55,994
ITS EFFECTS CAN BE MEASURED.
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IT'S THE SAME WITH BLACK HOLES.
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YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW
WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
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00:05:02,336 --> 00:05:04,602
Thaller: WHILE THEY EMIT
NO LIGHT THEMSELVES,
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BLACK HOLES ARE TREMENDOUS
SOURCES OF X-RAYS,
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00:05:07,141 --> 00:05:10,008
AND THAT'S BECAUSE AS THINGS
GET CLOSE TO A BLACK HOLE,
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THEY'RE ACCELERATED
BY THE GRAVITY,
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AND THEY CAN HEAT UP
TO MILLIONS OF DEGREES.
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MILLION-DEGREE GAS
GIVES YOU LOTS OF X-RAYS.
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Narrator: TO FIND AND MEASURE
THESE TELLTALE X-RAYS,
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SCIENTISTS TURN
TO THE NuSTAR SPACE TELESCOPE.
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[ WHIRRING ]
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IN 2017, IT SPOTS
A BURST OF X-RAYS
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IN A CLUSTER CALLED 47 TUCANAE,
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AT THE EDGE OF THE MILKY WAY.
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WHEN SCIENTISTS ANALYZE
THE DATA,
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THEY REALIZE THEY'RE
LOOKING AT TWO OBJECTS
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ORBITING EACH OTHER
VERY CLOSELY.
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00:05:54,321 --> 00:05:57,656
ALL WE SEE IS THAT THERE'S
A STAR BEING RIPPED APART,
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00:05:57,658 --> 00:06:01,660
AND GAS IS SPIRALING DOWN TO
A VERY DENSE, VERY DARK OBJECT,
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00:06:01,662 --> 00:06:04,929
SO SOMETHING WEIRD IS GOING ON.
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00:06:04,931 --> 00:06:07,999
AS ONE OF THE OBJECTS
ACCRETES MATTER OFF THE OTHER,
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IT CAUSES IT TO EMIT X-RAYS,
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AND THOSE X-RAYS CAN BE USED,
THEN, TO TRACE OUT THE ORBITS
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AND, THEREFORE,
EXTRACT THE MASS.
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Narrator:
WHEN SCIENTISTS WORK OUT
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THE SIZE AND MASS
OF THE TWO OBJECTS,
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THEY FIND THE FIRST
IS THE FADING CORPSE
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OF A SUNLIKE STAR.
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00:06:29,089 --> 00:06:31,623
AND WHILE THE SECOND OBJECT
IS TINY,
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IT HAS THE MASS OF A GIANT.
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IS THIS AN ELUSIVE BLACK HOLE?
107
00:06:40,033 --> 00:06:42,100
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE
IS AN OBJECT
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THAT IS VERY MASSIVE,
VERY SMALL, VERY DENSE,
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WITH INTENSE GRAVITY.
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BUT IT TURNS OUT THERE
ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS
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00:06:50,043 --> 00:06:52,711
TO CREATE AN OBJECT LIKE THAT.
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THERE IS ANOTHER TYPE OF
ULTRA-DENSE OBJECT OUT THERE
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00:06:55,248 --> 00:06:57,849
IN THE UNIVERSE,
CALLED A NEUTRON STAR.
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♪♪
115
00:07:01,788 --> 00:07:06,257
Narrator:
NEUTRON STARS FORM IN THE SAME
WAY WE THINK BLACK HOLES FORM --
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00:07:06,259 --> 00:07:08,660
WHEN STARS DIE, EXPLODE,
117
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BUT THEN COLLAPSE DOWN
INTO A TINY BALL OF MATTER.
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THE GRAVITATIONAL ATTRACTION
OF A NEUTRON STAR IS ENORMOUS,
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PULLING IN GAS,
DUST, AND ASTEROIDS.
120
00:07:22,208 --> 00:07:26,210
BUT LIGHT CAN STILL ESCAPE.
121
00:07:26,212 --> 00:07:29,214
Thaller:
BLACK HOLES AND NEUTRON STARS
ARE KIND OF COUSINS,
122
00:07:29,216 --> 00:07:31,082
BUT IN THE CASE
OF A NEUTRON STAR,
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00:07:31,084 --> 00:07:35,020
IT DIDN'T HAVE QUITE ENOUGH MASS
TO COLLAPSE OUT OF CONTROL.
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00:07:35,022 --> 00:07:38,156
SO YOU CAN SORT OF THINK OF IT
AS JUST BARELY HANGING BACK
125
00:07:38,158 --> 00:07:40,091
FROM COLLAPSING
INTO A BLACK HOLE.
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00:07:40,093 --> 00:07:42,827
♪♪
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Narrator: THE TINY OBJECT
DISCOVERED BY NuSTAR
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DOES HAVE ENORMOUS MASS.
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00:07:49,569 --> 00:07:51,903
BUT SIZE AND MASS ALONE
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00:07:51,905 --> 00:07:54,506
ARE NOT ENOUGH TO PROVE
IT'S A BLACK HOLE.
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COSMOLOGISTS NEED MORE EVIDENCE.
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THEY CAN'T SEE BLACK HOLES,
BUT IS THERE ANOTHER WAY?
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00:08:05,051 --> 00:08:06,918
WHAT IF THEY COULD HEAR THEM?
134
00:08:09,523 --> 00:08:12,123
THINK OF TWO MASSIVE CARS
COLLIDING -- BOOM!
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00:08:12,125 --> 00:08:14,259
WHEN THEY DO,
THEY RADIATE SOUND,
136
00:08:14,261 --> 00:08:16,394
AND THEN WE CAN TELL WHETHER
OR NOT THAT COLLISION OCCURRED
137
00:08:16,396 --> 00:08:17,995
AND MAYBE EVEN
HOW FAR AWAY IT WAS.
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IT'S LIKE THAT WHEN
BLACK HOLES COLLIDE.
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♪♪
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Narrator: SO, BY LISTENING FOR
A BLACK HOLE CRASH...
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...COULD SCIENTISTS CONCLUSIVELY
PROVE THEY EXIST?
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♪♪
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00:08:50,296 --> 00:08:55,366
♪♪
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00:08:55,368 --> 00:09:00,505
♪♪
145
00:09:00,507 --> 00:09:04,075
Narrator:
BLACK HOLES ARE GRAVITATIONAL
GIANTS OF THE UNIVERSE.
146
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BUT WE'VE FOUND ONLY
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
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THAT THEY EXIST.
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00:09:11,518 --> 00:09:13,318
TO MAKE IT A SLAM DUNK,
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COSMOLOGISTS ARE
LISTENING FOR PROOF
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00:09:15,922 --> 00:09:19,391
IN THE HIDDEN WORLD
OF GRAVITATIONAL WAVES.
151
00:09:21,461 --> 00:09:23,662
THERE ARE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
GOING THROUGH THIS ROOM
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00:09:23,664 --> 00:09:24,863
ALL THE TIME.
153
00:09:24,865 --> 00:09:27,164
EVERY TIME I MOVE MY HANDS
LIKE I JUST DID,
154
00:09:27,166 --> 00:09:29,133
I CREATE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES.
155
00:09:29,135 --> 00:09:32,671
THE PROBLEM IS,
GRAVITY IS SO WEAK
156
00:09:32,673 --> 00:09:34,639
THAT YOU DON'T DETECT
THOSE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES.
157
00:09:36,810 --> 00:09:39,810
IN ORDER TO DETECT THOSE
DISTURBANCES OF SPACE AND TIME,
158
00:09:39,812 --> 00:09:43,014
YOU HAVE TO HAVE
CATACLYSMIC EVENTS
159
00:09:43,016 --> 00:09:44,950
INVOLVING MASSIVE OBJECTS.
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00:09:48,422 --> 00:09:52,557
Narrator:
BLACK HOLES ARE SOME OF THE
DENSEST OBJECTS IN THE UNIVERSE.
161
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SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR
AND MEASURE THE WAVES
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00:09:56,163 --> 00:09:59,230
CREATED WHEN THEY COLLIDE.
163
00:09:59,232 --> 00:10:04,302
LIGO, THE LASER INTERFEROMETER
GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE OBSERVATORY,
164
00:10:04,304 --> 00:10:06,637
LISTENS FOR WAVES
THAT CAN COME
165
00:10:06,639 --> 00:10:08,773
FROM OVER A BILLION
LIGHT-YEARS AWAY.
166
00:10:08,775 --> 00:10:12,376
♪♪
167
00:10:12,378 --> 00:10:17,282
IN 2017, LIGO HEARD
AN ENORMOUS CRASH.
168
00:10:19,853 --> 00:10:21,318
TWO VERY MASSIVE OBJECTS
169
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COLLIDED AT NEAR
THE SPEED OF LIGHT
170
00:10:23,390 --> 00:10:25,456
IN ONE OF THE MOST
ENERGETIC EVENTS
171
00:10:25,458 --> 00:10:27,993
THAT WE'VE EVER WITNESSED
IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANKIND.
172
00:10:31,264 --> 00:10:36,133
Narrator:
TWO ULTRA-HEAVY, ULTRA-DENSE
OBJECTS WHIRL AROUND EACH OTHER,
173
00:10:36,135 --> 00:10:41,139
HURLING POWERFUL GRAVITATIONAL
WAVES THROUGH SPACE.
174
00:10:41,141 --> 00:10:43,340
THE CLOSER THEY FALL
TOWARD EACH OTHER,
175
00:10:43,342 --> 00:10:47,545
THE MORE GRAVITATIONAL ENERGY
THEY THROW OUT.
176
00:10:47,547 --> 00:10:49,613
FINALLY, THEY COLLIDE,
177
00:10:49,615 --> 00:10:53,485
IN ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT
EVENTS IN THE UNIVERSE.
178
00:10:56,289 --> 00:10:59,758
THE SMASH SENDS OUT
IMMENSE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
179
00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,361
THAT RIPPLE
ACROSS INTERGALACTIC SPACE,
180
00:11:03,363 --> 00:11:08,099
UNTIL, EVENTUALLY,
LIGO DETECTS THEM.
181
00:11:08,101 --> 00:11:10,101
[ HIGH-PITCHED NOISE ]
182
00:11:10,103 --> 00:11:11,836
LISTENING TO
A GRAVITATIONAL WAVE
183
00:11:11,838 --> 00:11:14,973
IS LIKE LISTENING
TO A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
184
00:11:14,975 --> 00:11:19,577
IF IT'S MAKING CERTAIN TONES
OR CERTAIN VIBRATIONS,
185
00:11:19,579 --> 00:11:22,447
YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE SIZE
OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT,
186
00:11:22,449 --> 00:11:23,915
THE TYPE OF
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT,
187
00:11:23,917 --> 00:11:26,317
WHO'S PLAYING
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
188
00:11:28,789 --> 00:11:31,122
THE THING THAT'S REALLY AMAZING
ABOUT THE LIGO DETECTION
189
00:11:31,124 --> 00:11:33,524
IS IT ALLOWED US TO MEASURE
THE MASS OF THESE OBJECTS
190
00:11:33,526 --> 00:11:35,526
AND HOW QUICKLY
THEY COALESCE TOGETHER.
191
00:11:35,528 --> 00:11:39,063
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN IDEA
HOW DENSE THEY MUST HAVE BEEN,
192
00:11:39,065 --> 00:11:40,765
AND WITH MODERN PHYSICS, WE SAY,
193
00:11:40,767 --> 00:11:43,134
"WELL, IT HAS TO BE
A BLACK HOLE."
194
00:11:43,136 --> 00:11:45,470
BUT THE QUESTION IS,
"HAVE WE MISSED SOMETHING?"
195
00:11:45,472 --> 00:11:47,572
[ PULSATING ]
196
00:11:49,543 --> 00:11:54,679
Narrator:
THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY LIGO
IS GROUNDBREAKING.
197
00:11:54,681 --> 00:11:57,615
BUT SOME SCIENTISTS THINK THAT
THE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
198
00:11:57,617 --> 00:12:00,818
COULD HAVE COME
NOT FROM BLACK HOLES,
199
00:12:00,820 --> 00:12:03,888
BUT FROM SOMETHING
EVEN MORE MYSTERIOUS.
200
00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,761
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WHAT
WE IDENTIFY AS BLACK HOLES
201
00:12:10,763 --> 00:12:14,632
IN OUR UNIVERSE ARE REALLY
ANOTHER OBJECT LIKE GRAVASTAR.
202
00:12:14,634 --> 00:12:18,569
POSSIBLE -- THERE'S A CAPITAL
"P" ON THAT "POSSIBLE."
203
00:12:18,571 --> 00:12:25,710
♪♪
204
00:12:25,712 --> 00:12:30,949
Narrator:
A GRAVASTAR IS WHAT SCIENTISTS
CALL AN EXOTIC COMPACT OBJECT.
205
00:12:32,519 --> 00:12:36,654
THIS BIZARRE THEORETICAL BODY
HAS EXACTLY THE SAME MASS
206
00:12:36,656 --> 00:12:40,725
AND GRAVITATIONAL PULL
AS A BLACK HOLE,
207
00:12:40,727 --> 00:12:43,661
BUT IT'S MADE OF EXOTIC MATTER.
208
00:12:43,663 --> 00:12:47,364
A GRAVASTAR WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
TO SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE,
209
00:12:47,366 --> 00:12:51,202
BUT BECAUSE IT FORMS
DIFFERENTLY THAN A BLACK HOLE,
210
00:12:51,204 --> 00:12:54,873
IT HAS A STRANGE,
INCREDIBLY DENSE SURFACE.
211
00:12:58,278 --> 00:13:01,546
IN THE FORMATION OF WHAT
WE THINK OF AS A BLACK HOLE,
212
00:13:01,548 --> 00:13:05,149
THE CATASTROPHIC GRAVITATIONAL
COLLAPSE OF A DENSE OBJECT,
213
00:13:05,151 --> 00:13:07,218
MAYBE IT DOESN'T GO
ALL THE WAY DOWN
214
00:13:07,220 --> 00:13:09,420
TO BECOME AN INFINITELY
DENSE POINT.
215
00:13:09,422 --> 00:13:11,556
INSTEAD, MAYBE THERE'S
SOME INTERACTION
216
00:13:11,558 --> 00:13:14,425
THAT PREVENTS THE FORMATION
OF THE BLACK HOLE,
217
00:13:14,427 --> 00:13:18,362
AND INSTEAD, YOU HAVE
A TIGHT, LITTLE, DENSE BALL,
218
00:13:18,364 --> 00:13:21,632
WHICH IS WHAT
WE CALL A GRAVASTAR.
219
00:13:21,634 --> 00:13:25,369
SO THE LIGO DATA
COULD BE THE SIGNATURE
220
00:13:25,371 --> 00:13:27,639
OF TWO BLACK HOLES COLLIDING,
BUT IT ALSO COULD BE
221
00:13:27,641 --> 00:13:31,309
THE SIGNATURE
OF TWO GRAVASTARS COLLIDING.
222
00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:33,878
RIGHT NOW, WE CAN'T
TELL THEM APART.
223
00:13:36,716 --> 00:13:43,988
♪♪
224
00:13:43,990 --> 00:13:48,192
Narrator:
SO, FOR NOW, GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
HAVE LED TO A DEAD END
225
00:13:48,194 --> 00:13:51,062
IN THE HUNT FOR BLACK HOLES.
226
00:13:51,064 --> 00:13:54,599
WE CAN'T BE COMPLETELY SURE
THAT WE'RE HEARING THEM,
227
00:13:54,601 --> 00:13:57,502
AND WE ALREADY KNOW
WE CAN'T SEE THEM.
228
00:13:59,205 --> 00:14:02,073
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MAYHEM
THEY LEAVE BEHIND?
229
00:14:05,478 --> 00:14:08,346
EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE
THE BLACK HOLE ITSELF,
230
00:14:08,348 --> 00:14:11,349
IT'S GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND
A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION,
231
00:14:11,351 --> 00:14:13,417
AND THAT IS SOMETHING
YOU CAN SEE.
232
00:14:13,419 --> 00:14:18,289
♪♪
233
00:14:18,291 --> 00:14:21,559
Narrator: BY PICKING APART
A COSMIC CRIME SCENE,
234
00:14:21,561 --> 00:14:26,897
CAN SCIENTISTS FINALLY SOLVE
THE MYSTERY OF BLACK HOLES?
235
00:14:26,899 --> 00:14:29,267
♪♪
236
00:14:40,247 --> 00:14:48,052
♪♪
237
00:14:48,054 --> 00:14:55,726
♪♪
238
00:14:55,728 --> 00:14:59,664
Narrator: THIS IS
THE HYDRA "A" GALAXY CLUSTER.
239
00:14:59,666 --> 00:15:04,068
840 MILLION LIGHT-YEARS
FROM EARTH,
240
00:15:04,070 --> 00:15:08,806
IT'S A REGION OF SPACE
FILLED WITH GALAXIES
241
00:15:08,808 --> 00:15:13,277
AND DENSE INTERGALACTIC GAS.
242
00:15:13,279 --> 00:15:16,414
BUT A DARK
AND MASSIVELY DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
243
00:15:16,416 --> 00:15:18,682
IS AT WORK HERE.
244
00:15:18,684 --> 00:15:21,085
AND IT'S BLASTING HOLES
IN THE GAS
245
00:15:21,087 --> 00:15:24,688
THAT ARE BIGGER
THAN THE MILKY WAY.
246
00:15:24,690 --> 00:15:28,692
COULD A BLACK HOLE
BE RESPONSIBLE?
247
00:15:28,694 --> 00:15:31,696
IT'S ALMOST AS IF AN
INTERGALACTIC BOMB HAS EXPLODED
248
00:15:31,698 --> 00:15:34,766
TO BLOW THESE CAVITIES OUT.
249
00:15:34,768 --> 00:15:36,901
Sutter: SOME OF THESE CAVITIES
ARE TENS
250
00:15:36,903 --> 00:15:39,637
OR EVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF LIGHT-YEARS ACROSS,
251
00:15:39,639 --> 00:15:41,638
AND TO CREATE A CAVITY
THAT LARGE
252
00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,842
REQUIRES AN IMMENSE SOURCE
OF ENERGY,
253
00:15:44,844 --> 00:15:47,644
A POWERFUL ENGINE
THAT'S DRIVING IT.
254
00:15:47,646 --> 00:15:52,983
♪♪
255
00:15:52,985 --> 00:15:55,386
Narrator: TO DISCOVER WHAT'S
CREATING THE CAVITIES,
256
00:15:55,388 --> 00:15:59,424
SCIENTISTS COMBINE IMAGES
TAKEN AT DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS.
257
00:16:01,928 --> 00:16:04,996
THEY REVEAL
SOMETHING REMARKABLE.
258
00:16:07,666 --> 00:16:12,069
THE CAVITIES ARE BEING
CARVED OUT BY ENORMOUS JETS
259
00:16:12,071 --> 00:16:16,007
EMANATING FROM A GALAXY
IN THE CENTER OF THE CLUSTER.
260
00:16:16,009 --> 00:16:20,745
♪♪
261
00:16:20,747 --> 00:16:24,549
Sutter: AS THE JETS ARE EJECTED
FROM THE GALAXY,
262
00:16:24,551 --> 00:16:28,552
THEY CAN ACTUALLY SLAM INTO
THE SURROUNDING MATERIAL
263
00:16:28,554 --> 00:16:31,889
AND FORM A SHOCK WAVE,
WHICH WE CAN SEE.
264
00:16:31,891 --> 00:16:35,893
AND EVENTUALLY, THAT JET
INFLATES A BUBBLE, A CAVITY,
265
00:16:35,895 --> 00:16:38,429
AND THE CAVITY GROWS
AS IT'S INFLATED
266
00:16:38,431 --> 00:16:42,233
WITH HOT, DENSE PLASMA
EJECTED FROM THIS JET.
267
00:16:45,371 --> 00:16:48,573
Bullock:
THESE JETS ARE INCREDIBLY LARGE
AND INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.
268
00:16:48,575 --> 00:16:50,908
THIS IS LIKE A DEATH STAR,
BUT FOR REAL.
269
00:16:50,910 --> 00:16:52,377
IT'S MUCH, MUCH MORE ENERGY
270
00:16:52,379 --> 00:16:54,778
THAN IT WOULD TAKE
TO BLOW UP A PLANET.
271
00:16:54,780 --> 00:16:56,780
CARNAGE LIKE THIS
COULD HAVE BEEN CREATED
272
00:16:56,782 --> 00:16:59,316
BY THE ENERGETICS OF
A SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE
273
00:16:59,318 --> 00:17:00,985
IN THE FORM OF A QUASAR.
274
00:17:02,989 --> 00:17:04,856
Narrator:
SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES
275
00:17:04,858 --> 00:17:09,127
ARE MILLIONS OR EVEN BILLIONS
OF TIMES THE MASS OF THE SUN.
276
00:17:11,798 --> 00:17:14,231
THEY CAN BE
VORACIOUS OVEREATERS,
277
00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:16,801
CRAMMING IN
HUGE AMOUNTS OF MATTER.
278
00:17:20,340 --> 00:17:24,475
AS GAS AND DUST SWIRL TOWARD
THE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE,
279
00:17:24,477 --> 00:17:27,011
IT RUBS TOGETHER,
CAUSING FRICTION
280
00:17:27,013 --> 00:17:30,614
THAT HEATS THE MATERIAL UP TO
MILLIONS OF DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
281
00:17:30,616 --> 00:17:38,222
♪♪
282
00:17:38,224 --> 00:17:40,224
THE MAGNETIC FIELD
AROUND THE BLACK HOLE
283
00:17:40,226 --> 00:17:43,027
FORMS THE MATERIAL
INTO TWIN JETS
284
00:17:43,029 --> 00:17:45,496
THAT SPIN OUT AT ENORMOUS SPEEDS
285
00:17:45,498 --> 00:17:48,299
FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF LIGHT-YEARS.
286
00:17:48,301 --> 00:17:53,304
♪♪
287
00:17:53,306 --> 00:17:55,506
A QUASAR IS BORN.
288
00:17:55,508 --> 00:17:59,110
♪♪
289
00:17:59,112 --> 00:18:01,846
THE JETS EMITTED BY BLACK HOLES
ARE NOT ONLY
290
00:18:01,848 --> 00:18:05,049
INCREDIBLY HIGH-ENERGY,
BUT INCREDIBLY INTENSE.
291
00:18:05,051 --> 00:18:08,920
MORE ENERGY THAN IS EMITTED
IN ALMOST ANY OTHER OBJECT
292
00:18:08,922 --> 00:18:10,455
IS OBSERVED FROM QUASARS.
293
00:18:10,457 --> 00:18:12,657
THOSE QUASARS ARE INTENSE ENOUGH
294
00:18:12,659 --> 00:18:14,925
TO VAPORIZE OBJECTS
THAT THEY HIT.
295
00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:16,461
THEY'RE DEADLY RAYS FROM SPACE.
296
00:18:16,463 --> 00:18:18,496
THEY ALMOST SOUND LIKE
SCIENCE-FICTION OBJECTS.
297
00:18:22,401 --> 00:18:24,802
Sutter: IN ORDER TO GENERATE
THAT MUCH ENERGY,
298
00:18:24,804 --> 00:18:27,872
WHAT KIND OF PHYSICAL
PROCESS DO YOU NEED?
299
00:18:27,874 --> 00:18:31,442
AND PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY ANSWER
WE HAVE IS A GIANT BLACK HOLE.
300
00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:35,746
Tremblay:
JETS ARE ABSOLUTELY
301
00:18:35,748 --> 00:18:38,315
REALLY, REALLY CONVINCING
SMOKING-GUN EVIDENCE
302
00:18:38,317 --> 00:18:40,351
FOR THE EXISTENCE
OF BLACK HOLES.
303
00:18:44,290 --> 00:18:46,357
Narrator: THE AWESOME POWER
OF A BLACK HOLE
304
00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,760
CAN EXPLAIN THE VAST
MYSTERIOUS CAVITIES
305
00:18:49,762 --> 00:18:52,396
IN THE GALAXY CLUSTER HYDRA "A."
306
00:18:55,568 --> 00:18:58,769
SO, IS THE CASE CLOSED?
307
00:18:58,771 --> 00:19:02,239
CAN WE SAY CONCLUSIVELY
THAT BLACK HOLES ARE REAL?
308
00:19:02,241 --> 00:19:08,378
♪♪
309
00:19:08,380 --> 00:19:10,381
ALTHOUGH THERE'S GREAT
EVIDENCE FOR BLACK HOLES,
310
00:19:10,383 --> 00:19:13,184
WE HAVE TO KEEP QUESTIONING
WHETHER THEY ARE REAL.
311
00:19:13,186 --> 00:19:16,587
AS A SCIENTIST, I'D MUCH RATHER
HAVE QUESTIONS I CAN'T ANSWER
312
00:19:16,589 --> 00:19:18,389
THAN ANSWERS I CAN'T QUESTION.
313
00:19:18,391 --> 00:19:28,399
♪♪
314
00:19:28,401 --> 00:19:30,801
♪♪
315
00:19:30,803 --> 00:19:35,673
Narrator:
ONE QUESTION SCIENTISTS
ARE STRUGGLING TO ANSWER
316
00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:39,476
IS HOW BLACK HOLES WORK.
317
00:19:39,478 --> 00:19:45,283
ARE COSMOLOGY'S GREATEST MINDS
IN DANGER OF FLUNKING OUT?
318
00:19:45,285 --> 00:19:46,617
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING
TO BE DETAILS
319
00:19:46,619 --> 00:19:48,419
THAT WE STILL HAVE
YET TO FIGURE OUT.
320
00:19:48,421 --> 00:19:49,887
THAT'S TRUE FOR BLACK HOLES
RIGHT NOW
321
00:19:49,889 --> 00:19:51,555
AND A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS
ARE BIG ONES,
322
00:19:51,557 --> 00:19:54,258
LIKE HOW DO THEY EVEN EXIST,
HOW DO THEY BEHAVE?
323
00:19:55,895 --> 00:19:59,430
I MEAN, WE'RE SEEING THAT THE
MATH DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK OUT,
324
00:19:59,432 --> 00:20:02,633
SO THERE IS AN ISSUE HERE.
325
00:20:02,635 --> 00:20:04,701
Narrator:
TO SHOW THAT BLACK HOLES EXIST,
326
00:20:04,703 --> 00:20:08,372
SCIENTISTS NEED
TO SOLVE THE MATH.
327
00:20:08,374 --> 00:20:09,640
IF THEY CAN'T,
328
00:20:09,642 --> 00:20:13,945
THEY MIGHT FAIL TO PROVE
THAT BLACK HOLES EXIST AT ALL.
329
00:20:28,928 --> 00:20:33,798
♪♪
330
00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,201
Narrator:
COSMOLOGISTS SAY THE UNIVERSE
IS FILLED WITH BLACK HOLES --
331
00:20:38,203 --> 00:20:39,537
BIG AND SMALL.
332
00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:44,976
BUT THE EVIDENCE FOR THEM
IS NOT CONCLUSIVE.
333
00:20:48,547 --> 00:20:51,148
EVEN IF THERE'S 9 OUT OF 10
PIECES OF EVIDENCE
334
00:20:51,150 --> 00:20:54,952
FOR BLACK HOLES, THERE'S STILL
ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE LEFT.
335
00:20:54,954 --> 00:20:56,954
THAT CAN OPEN IT UP
TO THE POSSIBILITY
336
00:20:56,956 --> 00:20:59,356
THAT MAYBE
BLACK HOLES DON'T EXIST.
337
00:20:59,358 --> 00:21:03,627
♪♪
338
00:21:03,629 --> 00:21:07,030
Narrator:
EXPERTS INSTEAD LOOK TO
THE THEORETICAL SCIENCE
339
00:21:07,032 --> 00:21:08,866
OF HOW BLACK HOLES WORK.
340
00:21:11,637 --> 00:21:14,772
THEY'RE THOUGHT TO HAVE
THE SUPERDENSE COLLAPSED CORE
341
00:21:14,774 --> 00:21:16,741
OF A STAR AT THEIR CENTER.
342
00:21:18,778 --> 00:21:23,914
AROUND THIS IS A SPHERE
KNOWN AS THE EVENT HORIZON,
343
00:21:23,916 --> 00:21:27,218
A PLACE WHERE THE RULES
OF PHYSICS GO OUT THE WINDOW.
344
00:21:29,988 --> 00:21:31,856
Bullock: THE EVENT HORIZON,
IN MANY WAYS,
345
00:21:31,858 --> 00:21:34,658
CUTS A BLACK HOLE OFF
FROM THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE.
346
00:21:34,660 --> 00:21:38,396
WHATEVER COMES IN
CAN NEVER COME BACK OUT.
347
00:21:38,398 --> 00:21:42,399
Sutter: IT'S ALMOST LIKE
AN INVISIBLE LINE IN SPACE.
348
00:21:42,401 --> 00:21:45,403
IT'S NOT UNTIL YOU TRY
TO TURN AROUND AND LEAVE
349
00:21:45,405 --> 00:21:48,306
THAT YOU REALIZE
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO ESCAPE.
350
00:21:52,878 --> 00:21:55,345
Narrator: IT'S EINSTEIN'S THEORY
OF GENERAL RELATIVITY
351
00:21:55,347 --> 00:21:58,783
THAT TELLS US
NOTHING CAN LEAVE A BLACK HOLE.
352
00:22:01,353 --> 00:22:02,620
THIS SET OF RULES
353
00:22:02,622 --> 00:22:05,355
GOVERNS THE GIANT STRUCTURES
OF THE UNIVERSE --
354
00:22:05,357 --> 00:22:08,859
GALAXIES, STAR SYSTEMS,
AND PLANETS.
355
00:22:12,030 --> 00:22:14,564
GENERAL RELATIVITY IS
EINSTEIN'S THEORY OF GRAVITY.
356
00:22:14,566 --> 00:22:16,434
IT IS THE
ALL-ENCOMPASSING THEORY
357
00:22:16,436 --> 00:22:19,369
THAT DESCRIBES EVERYTHING
WE KNOW ABOUT GRAVITY
358
00:22:19,371 --> 00:22:22,106
AND HOW THE UNIVERSE
ON LARGE SCALES FUNCTIONS.
359
00:22:24,977 --> 00:22:28,479
Narrator:
BUT THE UNIVERSE FUNCTIONS
ON SMALL SCALES, TOO.
360
00:22:30,917 --> 00:22:33,984
EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE --
INCLUDING US --
361
00:22:33,986 --> 00:22:37,855
IS MADE UP OF
TINY BITS OF MATTER.
362
00:22:37,857 --> 00:22:41,258
THESE ARE GOVERNED
BY ANOTHER SET OF RULES,
363
00:22:41,260 --> 00:22:43,594
KNOWN AS QUANTUM MECHANICS.
364
00:22:46,466 --> 00:22:49,199
QUANTUM MECHANICS
ALLOWS YOU TO UNDERSTAND
365
00:22:49,201 --> 00:22:50,735
AT THE SMALLEST LEVELS
366
00:22:50,737 --> 00:22:54,604
THE SMALLEST SCALES
OF WHAT BUILDS OUR UNIVERSE.
367
00:22:54,606 --> 00:22:57,007
Bullock: WEIRD STUFF HAPPENS
IN THE QUANTUM WORLD.
368
00:22:57,009 --> 00:22:58,809
IT DEFIES ALL INTUITION,
369
00:22:58,811 --> 00:23:01,479
AND ONE OF THE WEIRD THINGS
THAT CAN HAPPEN IS YOU CAN HAVE
370
00:23:01,481 --> 00:23:05,182
THE EMPTY SPACE OF A VACUUM
CREATING PARTICLES.
371
00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:09,486
Narrator: IN THE QUANTUM WORLD,
372
00:23:09,488 --> 00:23:15,292
TINY PARTICLES CAN POP
SPONTANEOUSLY INTO EXISTENCE.
373
00:23:15,294 --> 00:23:19,963
THEY'RE DRAWN TO EACH OTHER
LIKE MAGNETS.
374
00:23:19,965 --> 00:23:23,334
BUT WHEN THEY COLLIDE,
THEY ANNIHILATE EACH OTHER.
375
00:23:26,239 --> 00:23:28,905
SO, YOU'VE GOT TWO PARTICLES --
THEY CAN POP OUT OF THE VACUUM,
376
00:23:28,907 --> 00:23:30,441
AND THEY ANNIHILATE
VERY QUICKLY.
377
00:23:30,443 --> 00:23:32,576
THAT DOESN'T BREAK ANY LAWS.
378
00:23:32,578 --> 00:23:34,578
NOW IN THE VICINITY
OF A BLACK HOLE, THOUGH,
379
00:23:34,580 --> 00:23:36,414
THINGS GET KIND OF COMPLICATED.
380
00:23:39,852 --> 00:23:41,785
Narrator: GRAVITY IS
USUALLY TOO WEAK
381
00:23:41,787 --> 00:23:44,588
TO AFFECT THE PARTICLES
IN THE QUANTUM WORLD.
382
00:23:48,528 --> 00:23:52,797
BUT BRITISH PHYSICIST
STEPHEN HAWKING THEORIZED
383
00:23:52,799 --> 00:23:55,466
THAT AT THE EVENT HORIZON
OF A BLACK HOLE,
384
00:23:55,468 --> 00:23:59,670
THE NORMAL RULES DON'T APPLY.
385
00:23:59,672 --> 00:24:01,605
WHAT STEPHEN HAWKING
REALIZED IS THAT
386
00:24:01,607 --> 00:24:03,674
IF YOU HAVE A PAIR OF PARTICLES
387
00:24:03,676 --> 00:24:05,876
THAT POP UP AT THE EDGE
OF A BLACK HOLE
388
00:24:05,878 --> 00:24:08,278
AND ONE GETS SUCKED
INTO THE BLACK HOLE,
389
00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:09,746
THEN THE OTHER IS FORCED
TO BECOME
390
00:24:09,748 --> 00:24:11,615
A REAL PARTICLE IN OUR UNIVERSE.
391
00:24:11,617 --> 00:24:14,818
IN ORDER TO DO SO, IT TAKES
ENERGY FROM THE BLACK HOLE,
392
00:24:14,820 --> 00:24:16,353
AND IN THAT MECHANISM,
393
00:24:16,355 --> 00:24:21,425
BLACK HOLES VERY SLOWLY
OVER TIME LOSE MASS.
394
00:24:21,427 --> 00:24:22,827
Freese:
WITH HAWKING'S WORK, WE SEE
395
00:24:22,829 --> 00:24:25,562
THAT THE BLACK HOLE
WILL EVENTUALLY EVAPORATE,
396
00:24:25,564 --> 00:24:28,933
AND THAT WAS A COMPLETE SHIFT IN
HOW TO THINK ABOUT BLACK HOLES.
397
00:24:32,171 --> 00:24:33,837
Narrator:
ACCORDING TO HAWKING,
398
00:24:33,839 --> 00:24:36,706
WHEN BLACK HOLES
AREN'T EATING MATERIAL,
399
00:24:36,708 --> 00:24:42,779
THEY ACTUALLY SHRINK BY EMITTING
THERMAL RADIATION OR HEAT.
400
00:24:42,781 --> 00:24:44,114
IN THIS PROCESS,
401
00:24:44,116 --> 00:24:48,585
A BLACK HOLE WILL EVENTUALLY
EVAPORATE COMPLETELY,
402
00:24:48,587 --> 00:24:52,323
AND THIS CREATES
A PROBLEM FOR SCIENTISTS.
403
00:24:52,325 --> 00:24:53,857
EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE,
404
00:24:53,859 --> 00:24:56,794
FROM ATOMS TO PLANETS
TO SPACECRAFTS,
405
00:24:56,796 --> 00:25:00,064
CARRY INFORMATION
ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF,
406
00:25:00,066 --> 00:25:04,868
HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING,
AND WHERE THEY'VE BEEN.
407
00:25:04,870 --> 00:25:06,403
THE LAWS OF PHYSICS STATE
408
00:25:06,405 --> 00:25:10,274
THAT THIS INFORMATION
CAN'T BE LOST FROM THE UNIVERSE,
409
00:25:10,276 --> 00:25:12,877
AND THAT SHOULD APPLY
TO BLACK HOLES.
410
00:25:15,214 --> 00:25:17,147
SO IF AN OBJECT PASSES THROUGH
411
00:25:17,149 --> 00:25:19,883
THE EVENT HORIZON
OF A BLACK HOLE,
412
00:25:19,885 --> 00:25:22,485
ALL THE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT OBJECT
413
00:25:22,487 --> 00:25:25,523
BECOMES PART
OF THE BLACK HOLE ITSELF.
414
00:25:28,493 --> 00:25:32,429
Krauss:
ONCE THEY'VE FALLEN IN, ALL YOU
CAN SEE IS A HEAVIER BLACK HOLE,
415
00:25:32,431 --> 00:25:35,365
AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT FELL IN
IF YOU WEREN'T WATCHING IT.
416
00:25:35,367 --> 00:25:37,901
WELL, THAT DOESN'T VIOLATE
THE LAWS OF PHYSICS,
417
00:25:37,903 --> 00:25:39,970
BUT IF THE BLACK HOLE CONTINUES
TO EVAPORATE,
418
00:25:39,972 --> 00:25:42,306
EVAPORATE, EVAPORATE
WITH THERMAL RADIATION
419
00:25:42,308 --> 00:25:43,707
AND THEN DISAPPEAR,
420
00:25:43,709 --> 00:25:46,109
THEN ALL YOU HAVE AFTERWARDS
IS THERMAL RADIATION.
421
00:25:46,111 --> 00:25:48,879
YOU HAVE NO INFORMATION,
EVEN IN PRINCIPLE,
422
00:25:48,881 --> 00:25:50,780
ABOUT WHAT FELL IN.
423
00:25:50,782 --> 00:25:53,250
AND THAT INFORMATION
IS PRECISELY
424
00:25:53,252 --> 00:25:57,187
WHAT QUANTUM MECHANICS
SAYS CAN'T BE LOST.
425
00:25:57,189 --> 00:26:00,190
Narrator: THE THERMAL RADIATION
COMING OUT OF THE BLACK HOLE
426
00:26:00,192 --> 00:26:02,259
CONTAINS NO INFORMATION.
427
00:26:02,261 --> 00:26:04,394
IT'S A BLANK SLATE.
428
00:26:04,396 --> 00:26:07,998
IF THIS CONTINUES UNTIL
THE BLACK HOLE EVAPORATES,
429
00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,468
THEN ALL THE INFORMATION
IS COMPLETELY LOST
430
00:26:11,470 --> 00:26:14,270
WHEN THE BLACK HOLE DISAPPEARS.
431
00:26:14,272 --> 00:26:17,541
IF THAT INFORMATION DISAPPEARS,
432
00:26:17,543 --> 00:26:21,478
THEN THE LAWS OF
QUANTUM MECHANICS ARE VIOLATED.
433
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:25,449
AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW
TO SOLVE THAT PARADOX YET.
434
00:26:27,085 --> 00:26:30,420
WE'RE TRYING TO COMBINE QUANTUM
MECHANICS AND RELATIVITY,
435
00:26:30,422 --> 00:26:33,490
AND THE FIRST TIME
WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT
436
00:26:33,492 --> 00:26:36,627
LEADS TO THIS GIANT MESS
THAT CALLS INTO QUESTION
437
00:26:36,629 --> 00:26:39,763
FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT
THE WAY THE UNIVERSE WORKS,
438
00:26:39,765 --> 00:26:42,933
SO...THAT'S KIND OF A PROBLEM.
439
00:26:44,436 --> 00:26:48,105
Narrator: THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN
AS THE INFORMATION PARADOX,
440
00:26:48,107 --> 00:26:52,175
AND IF SCIENTISTS ARE GOING
TO FIND AN ANSWER TO IT,
441
00:26:52,177 --> 00:26:55,112
THEY'LL HAVE TO UNIFY
THEIR TWO THEORIES --
442
00:26:55,114 --> 00:26:58,314
GENERAL RELATIVITY,
THE RULES OF THE LARGE,
443
00:26:58,316 --> 00:27:03,253
AND QUANTUM MECHANICS,
THE RULES OF THE TINY.
444
00:27:03,255 --> 00:27:08,191
AND SO FAR,
THAT'S PROVED IMPOSSIBLE.
445
00:27:08,193 --> 00:27:11,995
Tegmark: I THINK THE SINGLE
BIGGEST EMBARRASSMENT IN PHYSICS
446
00:27:11,997 --> 00:27:14,398
IS THAT WE HAVE
THESE TWO THEORIES --
447
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,800
GENERAL RELATIVITY
DESCRIBING THE BIG
448
00:27:16,802 --> 00:27:19,670
AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
DESCRIBING THE SMALL --
449
00:27:19,672 --> 00:27:22,072
THAT SIMPLY DON'T GET ALONG.
450
00:27:22,074 --> 00:27:24,675
NATURE OBVIOUSLY KNOWS
WHAT IT'S DOING,
451
00:27:24,677 --> 00:27:29,747
BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE
A SINGLE, UNIFIED EXPLANATION.
452
00:27:29,749 --> 00:27:31,215
Sutter:
THE PAST FEW DECADES,
453
00:27:31,217 --> 00:27:35,819
AS WE'VE TRIED TO DESCRIBE
BLACK HOLES FULLY,
454
00:27:35,821 --> 00:27:38,221
THE MORE WORK WE'VE DONE,
455
00:27:38,223 --> 00:27:41,424
THE MORE OF A TANGLED MESS
WE GET.
456
00:27:41,426 --> 00:27:44,027
IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST
ONE BRILLIANT MIND
457
00:27:44,029 --> 00:27:45,495
TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
458
00:27:45,497 --> 00:27:48,031
♪♪
459
00:27:48,033 --> 00:27:50,567
Narrator:
MAYBE SOMEONE ALREADY HAS.
460
00:27:50,569 --> 00:27:54,838
THE CLASSICAL BLACK HOLE HAS
A SHELL-LIKE EVENT HORIZON
461
00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,507
BEYOND WHICH NOTHING CAN ESCAPE.
462
00:27:57,509 --> 00:28:00,110
AND ACCORDING TO
THE INFORMATION PARADOX,
463
00:28:00,112 --> 00:28:06,049
INFORMATION IS LOST
WHEN A BLACK HOLE EVAPORATES.
464
00:28:06,051 --> 00:28:09,787
BUT HERE'S A RADICAL,
MIND-BENDING IDEA --
465
00:28:09,789 --> 00:28:14,525
WHAT IF BLACK HOLES HAVE HAIR?
466
00:28:14,527 --> 00:28:17,728
Thaller: WHAT HAWKING AND HIS
COLLABORATORS POINTED OUT
467
00:28:17,730 --> 00:28:20,998
IS THAT BLACK HOLES
CAN HAVE SOFT HAIR,
468
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:22,866
AND IF THAT'S TRUE,
THAT WOULD BE A WAY
469
00:28:22,868 --> 00:28:24,934
OF ENCAPSULATING
ALL THE INFORMATION
470
00:28:24,936 --> 00:28:27,938
THAT WENT INTO THE BLACK HOLE.
471
00:28:27,940 --> 00:28:31,942
Narrator: SCIENTISTS PROPOSE
THAT THESE SO-CALLED HAIRS
472
00:28:31,944 --> 00:28:34,010
SOMEHOW STORE THE INFORMATION
473
00:28:34,012 --> 00:28:38,282
OF WHATEVER HAS FALLEN
INTO THE BLACK HOLE.
474
00:28:38,284 --> 00:28:40,417
THE INFORMATION
IS THEN IMPRINTED
475
00:28:40,419 --> 00:28:45,389
ON THE THERMAL RADIATION EMITTED
AS THE BLACK HOLE EVAPORATES.
476
00:28:47,626 --> 00:28:53,030
THESE HAIRY BLACK HOLES COULD
SOLVE THE INFORMATION PARADOX,
477
00:28:53,032 --> 00:28:57,768
BUT THEY'RE
ENTIRELY THEORETICAL.
478
00:28:57,770 --> 00:28:59,169
THESE ARE REALLY NEW IDEAS,
479
00:28:59,171 --> 00:29:01,705
AND PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING
TO FIGURE THEM OUT.
480
00:29:01,707 --> 00:29:03,907
SO IT'S HARD TO GIVE
A REALLY GOOD EXPLANATION
481
00:29:03,909 --> 00:29:05,508
OF SOMETHING THAT IS --
482
00:29:05,510 --> 00:29:07,377
THIS IS THEORY IN THE MAKING.
483
00:29:07,379 --> 00:29:09,413
PEOPLE ARE WORKING THIS OUT NOW.
484
00:29:13,252 --> 00:29:15,519
Narrator:
SOLVING THE INFORMATION PARADOX
485
00:29:15,521 --> 00:29:19,122
IS PUSHING SCIENCE
TO ITS LIMITS.
486
00:29:19,124 --> 00:29:20,990
BUT AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM
487
00:29:20,992 --> 00:29:24,261
IS SITTING AT THE HEART
OF A BLACK HOLE.
488
00:29:26,331 --> 00:29:29,065
THE BIG PROBLEM ABOUT
THE IDEA OF BLACK HOLES
489
00:29:29,067 --> 00:29:32,402
IS THAT AT ITS CENTER, THERE'S
WHAT WE CALL A SINGULARITY.
490
00:29:32,404 --> 00:29:36,072
AT THIS SINGULARITY,
MATTER HAS INFINITE DENSITY
491
00:29:36,074 --> 00:29:37,908
AND SPACE IS INFINITELY CURVED.
492
00:29:39,745 --> 00:29:44,281
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT
REALLY SOUNDS LIKE PHYSICS.
493
00:29:46,351 --> 00:29:49,352
Sutter: SINGULARITIES
DO NOT EXIST IN NATURE,
494
00:29:49,354 --> 00:29:52,890
AND WHEN THEY APPEAR
IN THE MATHEMATICS,
495
00:29:52,892 --> 00:29:55,291
THAT'S A SIGNAL THAT YOU'RE
DOING SOMETHING WRONG,
496
00:29:55,293 --> 00:29:57,160
THAT YOU'RE INCOMPLETE.
497
00:29:57,162 --> 00:29:59,696
IT'S LIKE
THE ULTIMATE CURSE WORD,
498
00:29:59,698 --> 00:30:03,700
AND MOTHER NATURE DOESN'T
LIKE IT WHEN WE CURSE.
499
00:30:03,702 --> 00:30:08,772
Narrator: TO COMPLETE THE MATH
AND UNDERSTAND BLACK HOLES,
500
00:30:08,774 --> 00:30:10,107
COSMOLOGISTS GRAPPLE
501
00:30:10,109 --> 00:30:14,177
WITH ONE OF SCIENCE'S
MOST MIND-BENDING CONCEPTS --
502
00:30:14,179 --> 00:30:15,813
INFINITY.
503
00:30:29,128 --> 00:30:38,936
♪♪
504
00:30:38,938 --> 00:30:41,671
Narrator: BLACK HOLES --
THEY'RE THOUGHT TO BE
505
00:30:41,673 --> 00:30:45,209
A FUNDAMENTAL PART
OF THE UNIVERSE.
506
00:30:45,211 --> 00:30:47,344
BUT SCIENTISTS
ARE NOT ONLY STRUGGLING
507
00:30:47,346 --> 00:30:49,479
TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY WORK,
508
00:30:49,481 --> 00:30:53,050
THEY'RE STRUGGLING
TO PROVE THEY EVEN EXIST.
509
00:30:55,287 --> 00:30:58,288
Sutter: SO, BLACK HOLES HAVE
SOME PROBLEMS.
510
00:30:58,290 --> 00:31:00,958
EVERY TIME WE TRY
TO THINK OF SOMETHING,
511
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,827
SOME CREATIVE
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTION
512
00:31:03,829 --> 00:31:05,895
TO DESCRIBE BLACK HOLES FULLY,
513
00:31:05,897 --> 00:31:09,299
IT BREAKS DOWN, AND WE JUST
CAN'T MAKE ANY PROGRESS.
514
00:31:11,370 --> 00:31:13,170
WE CAN'T MAKE
RELIABLE PREDICTIONS,
515
00:31:13,172 --> 00:31:15,239
WE CAN'T COMPARE
TO OBSERVATIONS.
516
00:31:15,241 --> 00:31:17,774
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
517
00:31:17,776 --> 00:31:19,977
WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW.
518
00:31:19,979 --> 00:31:23,379
♪♪
519
00:31:23,381 --> 00:31:24,915
Narrator:
SCIENTISTS ARE FINDING
520
00:31:24,917 --> 00:31:28,452
THAT GENERAL RELATIVITY
AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
521
00:31:28,454 --> 00:31:31,188
GO HAYWIRE AT THE EDGE
OF A BLACK HOLE.
522
00:31:33,458 --> 00:31:37,661
BUT INSIDE A BLACK HOLE,
THINGS COULD BE EVEN WEIRDER.
523
00:31:37,663 --> 00:31:46,736
♪♪
524
00:31:46,738 --> 00:31:49,473
WHEN A GIANT DYING STAR
COLLAPSES,
525
00:31:49,475 --> 00:31:53,676
THE MASS OF THE STAR FALLS IN
AND KEEPS FALLING IN,
526
00:31:53,678 --> 00:31:56,879
CRUNCHING DOWN INTO
AN INFINITELY SMALL POINT.
527
00:31:56,881 --> 00:32:02,085
♪♪
528
00:32:02,087 --> 00:32:06,222
THIS IS CALLED THE SINGULARITY.
529
00:32:06,224 --> 00:32:07,824
Tegmark:
A SINGULARITY IS TROUBLING
530
00:32:07,826 --> 00:32:11,094
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT SOUNDS
COOL AND SCIENTIFIC,
531
00:32:11,096 --> 00:32:13,030
IT'S REALLY JUST
A FANCY WORD OF SAYING,
532
00:32:13,032 --> 00:32:16,366
"OH, WE HAVE NO CLUE
WHAT HAPPENS HERE."
533
00:32:16,368 --> 00:32:19,769
Plait:
THE WAY OUR PHYSICS DESCRIBES
BLACK HOLES WHEN THEY FORM,
534
00:32:19,771 --> 00:32:22,172
YOU'RE TAKING
A FINITE AMOUNT OF MASS
535
00:32:22,174 --> 00:32:24,441
AND YOU'RE COLLAPSING IT DOWN.
536
00:32:24,443 --> 00:32:27,977
AND ITS VOLUME SHOULD SHRINK
ALL THE WAY TO ZERO,
537
00:32:27,979 --> 00:32:31,648
BUT THAT MEANS IT HAS INFINITE
DENSITY AND INFINITE GRAVITY,
538
00:32:31,650 --> 00:32:33,316
AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
539
00:32:33,318 --> 00:32:38,254
♪♪
540
00:32:38,256 --> 00:32:41,057
IF YOU MAKE A PREDICTION
AND THE ANSWER IS INFINITE,
541
00:32:41,059 --> 00:32:44,528
IT TELLS YOU THERE'S SOMETHING
WRONG WITH YOUR PREDICTION,
542
00:32:44,530 --> 00:32:47,764
'CAUSE WE'VE NEVER SEEN AN
INFINITY IN THE UNIVERSE TODAY.
543
00:32:51,069 --> 00:32:55,339
Narrator:
ONCE AGAIN, QUANTUM MECHANICS
IS AT THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
544
00:32:58,744 --> 00:33:00,811
Thaller:
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT
THE TERM "QUANTUM MECHANICS"
545
00:33:00,813 --> 00:33:02,879
AND THOUGHT ABOUT
WHAT THOSE WORDS MEAN?
546
00:33:02,881 --> 00:33:04,281
WELL, EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE
547
00:33:04,283 --> 00:33:06,816
IS BROKEN UP INTO
TINY, LITTLE UNITS.
548
00:33:06,818 --> 00:33:11,154
THERE REALLY IS A BASIC
UNIT OF ENERGY, A UNIT OF TIME,
549
00:33:11,156 --> 00:33:14,624
EVEN A UNIT OF SPACE THAT CANNOT
BE DIVIDED ANY FURTHER.
550
00:33:14,626 --> 00:33:17,427
THERE'S A LIMIT
TO HOW SMALL THINGS CAN BE.
551
00:33:20,232 --> 00:33:22,833
Narrator:
THE SMALLEST UNIT OF SPACE
IN THE UNIVERSE
552
00:33:22,835 --> 00:33:26,836
IS WHAT'S KNOWN
AS A PLANCK LENGTH.
553
00:33:26,838 --> 00:33:28,505
IF YOU TOOK A HUMAN HAIR
554
00:33:28,507 --> 00:33:32,042
AND BLEW IT UP TO THE WIDTH
OF THE OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE,
555
00:33:32,044 --> 00:33:38,115
ONE PLANCK LENGTH WOULD BE
ABOUT 1/4000th OF AN INCH.
556
00:33:38,117 --> 00:33:42,452
IF THERE IS A UNIVERSAL LIMIT
ON THE SMALLEST SIZE,
557
00:33:42,454 --> 00:33:47,724
THEN SOMETHING INFINITELY SMALL
CAN'T EXIST.
558
00:33:47,726 --> 00:33:50,460
WELL, IF INFINITY DOESN'T EXIST,
THEN SINGULARITIES DON'T EXIST,
559
00:33:50,462 --> 00:33:51,995
AND IF SINGULARITIES
DON'T EXIST,
560
00:33:51,997 --> 00:33:53,997
THEN EINSTEIN'S THEORY
OF GENERAL RELATIVITY
561
00:33:53,999 --> 00:33:56,266
IS NOT CORRECT.
562
00:33:56,268 --> 00:33:58,068
THE SIMPLEST THING TO DO
IS TO SAY,
563
00:33:58,070 --> 00:34:00,003
"WELL, LET'S CHOOSE
SOME NEW EQUATIONS.
564
00:34:00,005 --> 00:34:02,939
LET'S CHANGE EINSTEIN'S
THEORY OF GRAVITY SOMEHOW.
565
00:34:02,941 --> 00:34:06,009
LET'S INVENT WHAT WE WOULD CALL
EXOTIC SPECULATIVE PHYSICS."
566
00:34:06,011 --> 00:34:11,615
♪♪
567
00:34:11,617 --> 00:34:15,419
Narrator:
THIS SPECULATIVE PHYSICS
HAS LED SCIENTISTS TO INVENT
568
00:34:15,421 --> 00:34:18,221
THE IDEA OF THE PLANCK STAR.
569
00:34:18,223 --> 00:34:23,893
♪♪
570
00:34:23,895 --> 00:34:25,896
IF YOU PASSED ONE IN SPACE,
571
00:34:25,898 --> 00:34:28,165
IT WOULD LOOK
JUST LIKE A BLACK HOLE.
572
00:34:31,570 --> 00:34:35,705
BUT A PLANCK STAR DOESN'T HAVE
A SINGULARITY AT ITS CORE.
573
00:34:37,709 --> 00:34:39,709
Tegmark:
MAYBE THINGS CAN'T COLLAPSE DOWN
574
00:34:39,711 --> 00:34:42,646
TO LESS
THAN THE PLANCK'S LENGTH,
575
00:34:42,648 --> 00:34:47,117
THAT MAYBE YOU GET STUCK WITH
THIS LITTLE PLANCK-SIZE NUGGET
576
00:34:47,119 --> 00:34:50,087
THAT STABILIZES THINGS,
KEEPS EVERYTHING FINITE.
577
00:34:52,057 --> 00:34:56,259
Narrator:
SO, WHERE A SINGULARITY IS
AT THE CENTER OF A BLACK HOLE,
578
00:34:56,261 --> 00:35:01,131
A PLANCK-SIZED NUGGET IS
AT THE CENTER OF A PLANCK STAR.
579
00:35:03,802 --> 00:35:06,937
A PLANCK STAR IS
JUST LIKE A BLACK HOLE,
580
00:35:06,939 --> 00:35:11,674
EXCEPT IT PLAYS BY THE RULES
OF QUANTUM MECHANICS.
581
00:35:11,676 --> 00:35:16,680
THE PROBLEM IS, PLANCK STARS
ARE JUST ANOTHER EXOTIC THEORY.
582
00:35:18,950 --> 00:35:22,352
THE REASON THERE ARE
SO MANY EXOTIC ALTERNATIVES
583
00:35:22,354 --> 00:35:25,955
TO BLACK HOLES IS BECAUSE
YOU CAN WRITE DOWN A GAZILLION
584
00:35:25,957 --> 00:35:29,358
DIFFERENT POSTULATED,
MYSTERIOUS NEW KINDS OF MATTER
585
00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,428
AND SAY, "SUPPOSE
THIS KIND OF WEIRD STUFF EXISTS.
586
00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:34,364
THEN MAYBE THAT COULD
EXPLAIN THE DATA."
587
00:35:34,366 --> 00:35:35,632
PROBLEM IS, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
588
00:35:35,634 --> 00:35:37,500
THAT ANY
OF THAT KIND OF STUFF EXISTS.
589
00:35:37,502 --> 00:35:44,173
♪♪
590
00:35:44,175 --> 00:35:45,909
Narrator: SCIENTISTS ARE
GETTING CREATIVE
591
00:35:45,911 --> 00:35:50,446
AS THEY TRY TO PROVE
THAT BLACK HOLES EXIST.
592
00:35:50,448 --> 00:35:55,719
THEY'VE IMAGINED STRANGE OBJECTS
AND USED EXOTIC WORKAROUNDS.
593
00:35:55,721 --> 00:35:59,990
BUT ONE BLACK HOLE IDEA
IS THE STRANGEST OF ALL.
594
00:35:59,992 --> 00:36:04,460
WHAT IF WE ARE LIVING
INSIDE OF ONE?
595
00:36:04,462 --> 00:36:06,329
IT WOULD BE
THE MOST MIND-BLOWING THING EVER
596
00:36:06,331 --> 00:36:08,464
IF WE WERE ACTUALLY
LIVING INSIDE A BLACK HOLE.
597
00:36:08,466 --> 00:36:10,467
AND THE CRAZY THING IS,
IT COULD HAPPEN.
598
00:36:10,469 --> 00:36:12,269
IT COULD BE TRUE.
599
00:36:12,271 --> 00:36:21,778
♪♪
600
00:36:32,824 --> 00:36:41,998
♪♪
601
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,636
Narrator: BLACK HOLES ARE
FULL OF THEORETICAL HOLES.
602
00:36:46,638 --> 00:36:50,640
SCIENTISTS SAY THEY'RE OUT
THERE, BUT WE CAN'T SEE THEM.
603
00:36:50,642 --> 00:36:54,978
MATH SAYS THERE'S A SINGULARITY
AT A BLACK HOLE'S CORE,
604
00:36:54,980 --> 00:36:57,880
BUT IN NATURE,
THESE DON'T EXIST.
605
00:36:57,882 --> 00:37:00,917
THE RULES WE USE
TO UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSE
606
00:37:00,919 --> 00:37:04,387
SIMPLY DON'T SEEM
TO APPLY TO BLACK HOLES.
607
00:37:04,389 --> 00:37:06,790
SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?
608
00:37:08,460 --> 00:37:10,794
MAYBE A CLASSICAL BLACK HOLE
609
00:37:10,796 --> 00:37:13,863
WITH AN EVENT HORIZON
DESCRIBED BY GENERAL RELATIVITY
610
00:37:13,865 --> 00:37:17,267
JUST ISN'T THE PROPER
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHYSICS.
611
00:37:17,269 --> 00:37:22,472
♪♪
612
00:37:22,474 --> 00:37:24,741
Narrator:
THIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
613
00:37:24,743 --> 00:37:28,678
OPENS THE DOOR
TO SOME OUTLANDISH THEORIES
614
00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,781
THAT AIM TO SHOW
BLACK HOLES CAN EXIST.
615
00:37:35,821 --> 00:37:40,223
BUT ONE IDEA STANDS OUT
AS THE STRANGEST OF THEM ALL.
616
00:37:42,694 --> 00:37:44,694
Thaller: IN OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE UNIVERSE,
617
00:37:44,696 --> 00:37:47,964
THERE ARE TWO PLACES WHERE
EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BREAK DOWN.
618
00:37:47,966 --> 00:37:50,367
ONE IS INSIDE THE HEART
OF A BLACK HOLE.
619
00:37:50,369 --> 00:37:53,103
THE OTHER IS WHAT HAPPENED
RIGHT BEFORE THE BIG BANG.
620
00:37:53,105 --> 00:37:54,504
AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE WONDERED
621
00:37:54,506 --> 00:37:56,439
IF THESE TWO THINGS
COULD BE LINKED.
622
00:37:56,441 --> 00:37:59,109
♪♪
623
00:37:59,111 --> 00:38:01,844
IT SOUNDS CRAZY,
BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY A MODEL
624
00:38:01,846 --> 00:38:03,313
THAT YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER
625
00:38:03,315 --> 00:38:06,249
IN WHICH ALL OF OUR
OBSERVATIONS OF THE UNIVERSE
626
00:38:06,251 --> 00:38:08,384
ARE ENTIRELY CONSISTENT
627
00:38:08,386 --> 00:38:11,988
WITH US ACTUALLY BEING
INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE.
628
00:38:11,990 --> 00:38:13,789
Narrator: HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
629
00:38:13,791 --> 00:38:16,326
WELL, A BLACK HOLE
IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE
630
00:38:16,328 --> 00:38:19,462
A TINY, DENSE REGION AT ITS CORE
631
00:38:19,464 --> 00:38:23,166
CONTAINING TRILLIONS
AND TRILLIONS OF TONS OF MATTER.
632
00:38:25,136 --> 00:38:27,803
THERE IS A THEORY
THAT AS MATTER IS CRUSHED
633
00:38:27,805 --> 00:38:30,339
INTO THE CENTER OF A BLACK HOLE,
IT ACTUALLY REACHES A POINT
634
00:38:30,341 --> 00:38:32,942
WHERE IT CAN BE CRUSHED
NO FURTHER.
635
00:38:32,944 --> 00:38:36,346
AN EVENT LIKE THIS COULD,
IN FACT, LEAD TO A BIG BANG.
636
00:38:39,484 --> 00:38:41,951
Narrator:
WHEN THE COLLAPSING MATTER
IN THE BLACK HOLE
637
00:38:41,953 --> 00:38:44,387
REACHES A MAXIMUM DENSITY...
638
00:38:46,491 --> 00:38:48,224
...IT BOUNCES BACK,
639
00:38:48,226 --> 00:38:54,030
EXPANDING OUTWARDS
IN A CATACLYSMIC EXPLOSION.
640
00:38:54,032 --> 00:38:58,635
THE MATTER GRADUALLY COOLS
OVER TIME TO FORM ATOMS,
641
00:38:58,637 --> 00:39:02,072
BUILDING GALAXIES,
STARS, AND PLANETS.
642
00:39:04,776 --> 00:39:06,976
IF THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR,
643
00:39:06,978 --> 00:39:10,680
IT'S BECAUSE IT'S JUST LIKE
THE UNIVERSE WE SEE TODAY.
644
00:39:13,051 --> 00:39:16,186
THIS IS ONE IDEA FOR HOW A
UNIVERSE LIKE OURS IS FORMED --
645
00:39:16,188 --> 00:39:18,922
THAT, IN FACT, WE ALL LIVE
INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE
646
00:39:18,924 --> 00:39:20,923
THAT WAS CREATED THIS WAY.
647
00:39:20,925 --> 00:39:22,325
WITHIN OUR GALAXY ALONE,
648
00:39:22,327 --> 00:39:25,194
THERE ARE TENS OF MILLIONS
OF BLACK HOLES.
649
00:39:25,196 --> 00:39:26,996
AND JUST THINK --
INSIDE EACH ONE OF THEM
650
00:39:26,998 --> 00:39:29,598
COULD BE A BABY UNIVERSE
WAITING TO BE BORN.
651
00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:30,633
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
652
00:39:32,470 --> 00:39:35,271
Oluyesi:
ARE WE INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE
THAT EXISTS IN A UNIVERSE
653
00:39:35,273 --> 00:39:38,474
THAT HAS OTHER BLACK HOLES
THAT HAS OTHER UNIVERSES
654
00:39:38,476 --> 00:39:40,209
WHICH EXISTS
INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE?
655
00:39:40,211 --> 00:39:43,679
IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON
AD INFINITUM.
656
00:39:43,681 --> 00:39:46,883
Narrator: ONCE AGAIN,
THIS IS ALL THEORETICAL,
657
00:39:46,885 --> 00:39:50,219
BUT IT'S A COMPELLING IDEA.
658
00:39:50,221 --> 00:39:53,823
I MEAN, ARE WE ACTUALLY EXISTING
INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE?
659
00:39:53,825 --> 00:39:55,291
I DON'T KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW,
660
00:39:55,293 --> 00:39:57,494
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M SITTING
IN TRAFFIC WAITING TO GET HOME,
661
00:39:57,496 --> 00:40:00,497
IT FEELS LIKE TIME IS
STRETCHED OUT INFINITELY.
662
00:40:02,033 --> 00:40:04,033
Tremblay: I DON'T THINK THAT
YOU SHOULD LOSE SLEEP AT NIGHT
663
00:40:04,035 --> 00:40:06,702
WONDERING IF WE'RE ACTUALLY
INSIDE OF A BLACK HOLE.
664
00:40:06,704 --> 00:40:08,704
THE ANSWER IS "PROBABLY NOT."
665
00:40:08,706 --> 00:40:12,242
BUT BECAUSE BLACK HOLES
ARE JUST PUSHING AT THE EDGE
666
00:40:12,244 --> 00:40:14,711
OF WHAT WE UNDERSTAND
ABOUT NATURE,
667
00:40:14,713 --> 00:40:16,379
THEY ARE
THE PERFECT ILLUSTRATION
668
00:40:16,381 --> 00:40:18,581
OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THE UNIVERSE,
669
00:40:18,583 --> 00:40:19,916
AND THAT IS A LOT.
670
00:40:19,918 --> 00:40:28,525
♪♪
671
00:40:28,527 --> 00:40:31,126
Narrator:
SO, WHAT DO WE KNOW?
672
00:40:31,128 --> 00:40:32,929
WE CAN'T SEE BLACK HOLES.
673
00:40:32,931 --> 00:40:37,467
WE CAN ONLY FIND
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF THEM.
674
00:40:37,469 --> 00:40:42,405
THEY VIOLATE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS
THAT PREDICT THEM.
675
00:40:42,407 --> 00:40:45,741
THEY MAY EVEN BE HAIRY.
676
00:40:45,743 --> 00:40:49,411
SO, DO THEY ACTUALLY EXIST?
677
00:40:49,413 --> 00:40:54,284
♪♪
678
00:40:54,286 --> 00:40:56,485
SO, I WILL TELL YOU THAT
RIGHT NOW IN MODERN PHYSICS,
679
00:40:56,487 --> 00:40:58,554
WE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT IS GOING ON
680
00:40:58,556 --> 00:41:00,756
INSIDE THE HEART
OF A BLACK HOLE,
681
00:41:00,758 --> 00:41:03,359
WHETHER BLACK HOLES IN THE TRUE
SENSE REALLY EXIST AT ALL,
682
00:41:03,361 --> 00:41:05,895
BUT THE WONDERFUL THING IS
THAT PHYSICS IS NOW TAKING US
683
00:41:05,897 --> 00:41:10,700
DOWN PATHS THAT WE WOULD NEVER
HAVE IMAGINED BEFORE.
684
00:41:10,702 --> 00:41:14,904
LACK OF EVIDENCE
OF HOW BLACK HOLES WORK
685
00:41:14,906 --> 00:41:18,308
IS NOT EVIDENCE AGAINST
THE EXISTENCE OF BLACK HOLES.
686
00:41:18,310 --> 00:41:20,810
IT'S JUST EVIDENCE
OF LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.
687
00:41:22,981 --> 00:41:25,047
Tremblay:
IF YOU ASK ME WHAT I BELIEVE,
688
00:41:25,049 --> 00:41:27,050
I'D HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT
I DON'T BELIEVE IN BLACK HOLES.
689
00:41:27,052 --> 00:41:29,452
I BELIEVE IN SOMETHING
WHICH BEHAVES LIKE BLACK HOLES.
690
00:41:32,924 --> 00:41:35,991
Sutter: IT COULD BE THAT
ALL THE OBJECTS IN OUR UNIVERSE
691
00:41:35,993 --> 00:41:38,661
THAT WE CURRENTLY IDENTIFY
AS BLACK HOLES
692
00:41:38,663 --> 00:41:40,663
AREN'T REALLY BLACK HOLES,
693
00:41:40,665 --> 00:41:43,299
BUT IF I WERE TO BET,
I WOULD BET ON BLACK HOLES.
694
00:41:46,137 --> 00:41:48,404
Freese: I THINK THEY'RE
THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION.
695
00:41:48,406 --> 00:41:51,541
YEP, THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS
THAT WE HAVE TO RESOLVE,
696
00:41:51,543 --> 00:41:54,010
BUT I DO --
I BELIEVE IN BLACK HOLES.
697
00:41:54,012 --> 00:41:56,613
♪♪
698
00:41:56,615 --> 00:41:58,681
Plait: WHATEVER IT IS
THAT WE'RE SEEING,
699
00:41:58,683 --> 00:41:59,949
IT SMELLS LIKE A BLACK HOLE,
700
00:41:59,951 --> 00:42:02,218
WALKS LIKE A BLACK HOLE,
IT QUACKS LIKE A BLACK HOLE.
701
00:42:02,220 --> 00:42:03,753
IT'S A BLACK HOLE.
702
00:42:06,291 --> 00:42:10,025
Narrator: RIGHT NOW, BLACK HOLES
ARE THE BEST EXPLANATION
703
00:42:10,027 --> 00:42:12,362
FOR WHAT WE SEE OUT THERE.
704
00:42:12,364 --> 00:42:15,898
BUT IF WE CAN FIND A WAY
TO UNIFY OUR THEORIES,
705
00:42:15,900 --> 00:42:18,768
WE MIGHT FINALLY
PROVE THEY EXIST
706
00:42:18,770 --> 00:42:24,474
AND DISCOVER A WHOLE LOT MORE
ABOUT HOW OUR UNIVERSE WORKS.
53321
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