Latest news with #YakovZeldovich
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
What is the ‘Black Hole Bomb' theory and how scientists brought it to life in the lab
Source: Live Science Fascinating science behind the 'Black Hole Bomb' theory Black Hole rotation and its effect on space-time Real-world evidence of the 'Black Hole Bomb' Implications for Black Hole research Also Read | Spin in a black hole produces an effect called "frame dragging," an effect where space-time is curved around the spinning black hole by the rotation of the black hole. This profoundly affects particles that are close, transferring energy to particles that move in the direction of the rotation of the black hole. A breakthrough by scientists at the University of Southampton has moved the " Black Hole Bomb " theory of theoretical physics from theory into the laboratory, and a major advance has been made in the science of black holes and their unique "Black Hole Bomb" theory was originally discussed in the 1970s by brilliant scientists Roger Penrose and Yakov Zeldovich. Their theory was founded on the assumption that the rotational energy of a black hole could be tapped and magnified. In their hypothesis, they proposed that the spin of a black hole could be used as a method of increasing the energy levels in the surrounding environment. If this process repeated, it would be able to emit so much energy that it would have a strong possibility of producing a calamitous explosion, the same type of explosion which is produced by a the name is horrifying, the theory of the Black Hole Bomb is more of a fascinating scientific proposition than a threat. It shows how incredible potential there is with black holes as well as their sophisticated dynamics better a black hole is rotating, it warps the surrounding space-time—a phenomenon referred to as "frame dragging." Through this phenomenon, space-time gets curled up along the axis of rotation of the black hole and pulls other nearby particles along with it. In the case of particles moving along the direction of rotation of the black hole, this action can add more energy. One of the analogies used to describe this is the experience of traveling on a conveyor belt or airport moving walkway, in which a fragment of object passing along in the same direction as the walkway have been fascinated by this bizarre black hole phenomenon for decades because it is a reflection of the humongous and enigmatic power of these cosmic years, the Black Hole Bomb was merely a theoretical entity, trapped in papers and never put to the test or proved through experiment. Everything changed in an experiment led by Marion Cromb and her team at the University of Southampton. In their lab, the team employed a rotating aluminum cylinder confined by rotating magnetic fields surrounding it. By altering the rate of rotation of the magnetic fields relative to the cylinder, they were able to observe changes taking place in the energy dynamics of the test result was sensational. When the spinning cylinder spun faster than the external magnetic field, the energy of the system increased. When the magnetic field spun faster than the cylinder, energy levels plummeted. This experiment was capable of simulating conditions that are predicted to exist around a black hole's event horizon, demonstrating the Black Hole Bomb theory in the team released their results on the scientific preprint server, arXiv, making available to the wider scientific community a useful new piece of evidence for this discovery is a major breakthrough in black hole research. This makes it possible for researchers to explore the hypothetical energy of a black hole without having to observe or touch it, which under usual circumstances would be extremely difficult given the violent conditions within the area surrounding such cosmic monsters. By performing such experiments on rotating cylinders and magnetic fields, scientists can mimic and investigate phenomena in the ergosphere of a black hole, the area just outside its event this finding itself does not imply that black holes would or could be used as weapons or used in day-to-day technology, it provides a new understanding of one of the universe's most mysterious and potent forces. The findings pave the way for further research into the workings of black holes and potentially new advances in the years ahead.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Built a ‘Toy Model' of a Black Hole Bomb—and Brought a 50-Year-Old Theory to Life
An experimental setup mimics a 'black hole bomb' first theorized in 1971. The spinning cylinder with circuitry is true to the original idea, showing that it can be plausible. Electrical waves spin off in random ways until they compound and create a runaway effect. There's nothing some physicists love more than an outlandishly impossible sounding idea, from nuclear fusion power plants to Star Trek's warp drive. (Fusion people, don't come for us—we'll happily share when a plant makes net energy over its operating costs, whenever that may be.) And recently, in a study uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, a team of scientists claimed to have made a very simplified 'toy model' of something known as a black hole bomb. Could this particular decades-old idea be making a move toward real life? The answer is complicated. A black hole bomb is not a true black hole, obviously, but it is heavily inspired by the massive gravity wells. In 1971, Yakov Zeldovich iterated on Roger Penrose's groundbreaking observations about black holes and wondered if the conditions seen in these structures could be harnessed as energy. Unlike a space superstructure, a black hole bomb might be a graspable human size. But scientists like Stephen Hawking predicted that, under some conditions, this energy would be too small to measure and verify the theories. Zeldovich, therefore, suggested adding a resonator in the form of a cylindrical mirror surrounding the original cylinder. Like an insulated coffee cup, the added metallic layer would reflect energy back into the black hole, and that energy would accumulate until it exploded outward and shattered the mirror. Others have iterated on these designs ever since. In this recent study, the research team attempted to take that black hole bomb concept from idea to reality—or, at least, take the first step towards reality by creating a toy model. A toy model is a very boiled down version of a theorized system, as the name suggests. Today, toy models explore things like quantum information theory or nanomaterials—in other recently published research, scientists used one to help model the strength of mismatched shapes and study how a particular arrangement of quantum qubits performs in computing. To create their toy model, the scientists nested a conductive aluminum cylinder—solid and just four centimeters in diameter—inside three concentric layers of circuitry. The setup was then rotated by an attached direct current motor (not that different from what powers an electric drill or rotating cake plate). As the assembly spun, the waves it produced grew more and more unstable until they achieved a runaway chain reaction effect. As the spinning cylinder generated positive energy radiating outward, the black hole effect created in its center absorbed all the negative energy, and the positive energy increased even more as the cylinder continued to rotate. But, instead of resulting in the predicted explosion, the team designed their assembly to switch itself off once it reached a certain point, ensuring that it did not explode (a good call, because it sure seems like it could have otherwise). '[T]he physical ingredients are as proposed more than 50 years ago,' the scientists explained. 'The results show that extraction of rotational energy can be observed at low-frequencies, where the conditions for negative energies (or negative resistances) can be met. Furthermore, it also shows how this unstable regime can be switched on and off as predicted for the black hole bomb.' In other words, this setup realizes—almost exactly—what the 'golden age' black hole pioneers of the 1960s and 1970s were theorizing. The rest of the way toward a true black hole bomb, the team concluded, is a matter of when, not if. In the meantime, these results must be evaluated and recreated by others. You Might Also Like
News18
05-05-2025
- Science
- News18
What Is The 'Black Hole Bomb' Theory Scientists Proved In A Lab?
Last Updated: Scientists Roger Penrose and Yakov Zeldovich theorised that a black hole's spin could amplify energy enough to trigger an explosion, like a cosmic bomb Scientists at the University of Southampton have successfully demonstrated the 'Black Hole Bomb' theory in a laboratory setting, marking a historic milestone in our understanding of black holes. This term might invoke fear, but there's no need for panic; the discovery is a significant advancement in theoretical physics rather than a new threat or weapon. What Is Black Hole Bomb The concept of the 'Black Hole Bomb' originated in the 1970s, proposed by renowned scientists Roger Penrose and Yakov Zeldovich. They theorised that a black hole's spin could amplify energy, and if this process is repeated correctly, it could generate enough energy to cause the system to explode, akin to a bomb. Theory Proven In Lab For First Time Until now, the 'Black Hole Bomb' existed only in theoretical papers and equations. However, Marion Cromb and her team have brought this theory to life. They used a rotating aluminium cylinder placed in magnetic fields that rotated around it. The experiment demonstrated that the energy behaviour changed based on whether the external magnetic field was rotating faster or slower than the cylinder. When the cylinder rotated faster than the magnetic field, the energy was amplified, but if it rotated slower, the energy decreased. This setup mimics the black hole theory and has been validated in the lab, with Cromb's team publishing their study on arXiv. Does This Reveal Black Holes' True Power This breakthrough helps scientists understand the real power of black holes without needing to approach them directly. Through analogous experiments, such as using magnetic fields and rotating cylinders, researchers can explore the phenomena occurring in the ergosphere outside a black hole's event horizon. The spin of a black hole drags space-time, known as frame dragging, which can impart extra energy to particles moving in the same direction, much like gaining speed on an airport moving walkway. While it is premature to link this discovery to practical technology or weaponry, it certainly offers a new perspective on one of the universe's most enigmatic entities – black holes. First Published:
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists create world's first 'black hole bomb'
Scientists have created the world's first 'black hole bomb' and it could help experts better understand the space phenomenon. The theory of the black hole bomb was first proposed by physicist Roger Penrose back in 1971. The idea was that the angular momentum of a moving black hole and the energy that creates could be transferred to a particle close to the black hole. Two years on from that, another scientist, Yakov Zeldovich, made the discovery that a similar process could take place in other situations. This includes things like light moving around a fast-spinning metal cylinder. Zeldovich also believed that if you surround the rotating cylinder with a cylindrical mirror then the energy could be reflected and built up in a positive feedback loop. This will occur until the energy is vented out or it explodes, producing a black hole bomb. This theory of extracting energy has finally been put to the test, although thankfully, this was on a much smaller scale. Instead of using a real black hole in outer space to try out the idea, instead physicists experimented with a safe toy model, although the principles are identical. Vitor Cardoso, who is from the University of Lisbon in Portugal, spoke to New Scientist about the revelation, where he said: 'You throw a low-frequency electromagnetic wave against a spinning cylinder, who would think that you get back more than what you threw in? It's totally mind boggling.' He went on to say: 'Having accurate measurements in the laboratory of this process really allows you to confidently say, 'yes, this must happen in black hole physics as well'.' Hendrik Ulbricht, who conducted the experiment with a team at the University of Southampton in the UK, explained: 'We're basically generating a signal from noise, and that is the same thing that happens in the black hole bomb proposal.' This test has the potential to help scientists gain a better understanding of how the phenomenon works and could lead to more insight on things including dark matter. Cardoso added: 'If new fields exist, we should be seeing, for instance, gravitational waves being emitted from this cloud around black holes, or we should see black holes spinning down because they're giving their energy away to these new particles. 'So superradiance is turning black holes into particle detectors, and much better particle detectors than [the Large Hadron Collider at] CERN can be for this type of dark matter.'
