New research suggests that a small number of primitive black holes, formed shortly after the Big Bang, may have been captured by stars and remained in their cores to this day. If this theory is confirmed, it could provide valuable insights into the early universe and the formation of black holes. The challenge lies in identifying these black holes inside stars, as they would be moving at immense speeds.
Earl Bellinger, the lead author of the study and an astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany, explains that while most primitive black holes would pass through stars without any impact, a small fraction moving at lower velocities could be captured. In such cases, there are two possibilities. The first is that the black hole is too small to have an effect on the star. The second possibility is that the black hole is large enough to consume the star from the inside, causing the star to emit additional energy and appear as a cool red giant known as a “red straggler.”
Bellinger and his colleagues have identified around 500 red stragglers that they believe may be Hawking stars, which are stars powered by small black holes in their cores. This hypothesis could potentially explain why the evolutionary paths of red stragglers are difficult to trace. By studying the pulsations and vibrations of red stragglers, astronomers may be able to determine if this black hole consumption process is still ongoing within these stars.
The presence of black holes in the hearts of stars could have significant implications. If primitive black holes exist, they could be dispersed throughout the universe, including our own cosmic neighborhood. Due to their high velocities and small sizes, these black holes have remained elusive to scientists thus far.
Further research is necessary to investigate how black holes consume stars from within and to observe the pulsations of Hawking star candidates in order to determine whether they truly exist in their cores.
FAQ:
Q: What are black holes?
A: Black holes are regions of space with such strong gravitational forces that even light cannot escape from them.
Q: What is the Big Bang?
A: The Big Bang is the beginning of the universe, when there was a rapid expansion and the formation of matter and energy.
Definitions:
– Black Holes: Regions of space with such strong gravitational forces that even light cannot escape from them.
– Big Bang: The beginning of the universe, when there was a rapid expansion and the formation of matter and energy.
Sources:
– Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics: www.mpia.de
The source of the article is from the blog qhubo.com.ni