Death at the Singularity - Ask a Spaceman!

What’s it like to fall into a black hole (again)? What does the outside universe look like? Is there any way to avoid your grisly fate at the singularity? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE! Music by Jason Grady and Nick Bain.

[Mandrak]

I have strange feeling like I am sitting by the camp fire as a child and listening scary story

[tri]

"Everywhere I try to go the singularity is right in front of me"

So it's like a mortgage lmao

[cow_tools_]

This makes an absolutely perfect commentary to the new ScienceClic visualisation of this. Listening to you both side by side is extremely eye opening. Thank you!

[WeRemainFaceless]

Due to the extreme gravitational forces, at the point of the singularity, time technically doesnt exist in the conventional sense of the word, at least relative to that of the rest of the universe.
If you were, for example, to take a leap into the black hole and survive all the tidal forces and radiation and other nasty stuff in there, you'd reach the singularity at the same "moment" as everything else that ever has and ever will enter the black hole. Past, present, future, all merge together to a singular point in space, with time local to the singularity essentially "beginning" at that moment.

Sounds very much like the seed of a new universe does it not?

[finalopportunity]

Interesting, well explained and clearly stated. Now I understand more how the journey to the singularity can be described as and the idea of time past and future in a black hole.

[siya.abc]

Legendary video, exceptional explanation 👍🏿

[NaisyDaisy]

I am new to learning about this topic. I started learning about space and all its curiosities not long ago. I wanted to have something in common with my husband that we both could discuss and enjoy. I appreciate how you make learning about the cosmos understandable for newbies like me. Thank you.

[kjones]

I have no one in my life to have this conversation with

[jacqi]

You’re such a great storyteller. You make this really complicated (some might say boring. Sacrilege!!) information both understandable for the non-Astrophysicist and super interesting. Thank you! 💕

[OrganicAwake]

Thanks for making space understandable! ❤️
Please keep up the hard work

[scottlaroche]

I was actually able to grasp these concepts. Thanks!

[psc]

Really dig your content and delivery. Also.. I like to play with the notion that black holes now create the big bang then thereby creating an ever expanding loop of hypercube goodness that we call The Universe.

[tetonskier]

I have a question that’s difficult to articulate, but I’ll give it a go: as you fall towards the event horizon, time slows down, correct? (at least relative to observers not falling into the black hole). As you cross the event horizon the passage of time goes to zero, and all of time in the outside universe passes by. As you cross the event horizon you literally go to the end of time. OK, my question is: doesn’t this happen to rocks, dust and other stellar stuff as well? and if so, how does a black hole “feed”? Can a black hole ever gain mass by swallowing another star or dust or anything? Wouldn’t any mass moving towards the event horizon get frozen in time at the event horizon?

[JAYMOAP]

The event horizon is more than mathematical description. The boundary is real in a sense it has physical properties due the consequences in terms of effects on how matter behave around the boundary. It is strongly related to hawking radiation as you require the description of the evaporation process. So you must apply a physical theory with physical boundary.

Hawking stated "The information is not stored in the interior of the black hole as one might expect, but in its boundary - the event horizon, "

I think it's a rather corect statement

[yinq]

Thanks for the wonderful explanation!

I watched a few videos on the Penrose diagram too and I understand that "space" and "time" grid curves switch roles.
Does that mean people inside a black hole can go anywhere in time (since people outside can go anywhere in space)? And what is "time" like inside the blackhole?
Thank you!

[jzblue]

That was an awesome explanation of what a black hole is like. I am interested in the Ringularity I heard about that in a video.

[mickgibson]

I never got to see a black hole the way that you explained. And I took physics in 1968 when there was not any back holes.

[vladimirbr]

Paul, thanks for the interesting video.
I have a question on this video - I heard somewhere that inside a rotating black hole there is a syngularity in the form of a ring. It seems that in the center of the ring the gravitational forces of the black hole are balanced. Is it safe to be in the center of this ring?

[robertsparkman]

Great video as always, thanks. Any modifications for spinning BH? I hear the singularity becomes a torrus. Also your opinion on chances of survival, I hate to give up spaghettification, it's just too cool.

[traksmiff]

Started a little bit slow but this video is straight flames🔥 🔥