Rotating black holes may serve as gentle portals for hyperspace travel

[Judi Lynn]

January 9, 2019 6.46am EST

One of the most cherished science fiction scenarios is using a black hole as a portal to another dimension or time or universe. That fantasy may be closer to reality than previously imagined.

Black holes are perhaps the most mysterious objects in the universe. They are the consequence of gravity crushing a dying star without limit, leading to the formation of a true singularity – which happens when an entire star gets compressed down to a single point yielding an object with infinite density. This dense and hot singularity punches a hole in the fabric of spacetime itself, possibly opening up an opportunity for hyperspace travel. That is, a short cut through spacetime allowing for travel over cosmic scale distances in a short period.

Researchers previously thought that any spacecraft attempting to use a black hole as a portal of this type would have to reckon with nature at its worst. The hot and dense singularity would cause the spacecraft to endure a sequence of increasingly uncomfortable tidal stretching and squeezing before being completely vaporized.

Flying through a black hole
My team at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a colleague at Georgia Gwinnett College have shown that all black holes are not created equal. If the black hole like Sagittarius A*, located at the center of our own galaxy, is large and rotating, then the outlook for a spacecraft changes dramatically. That’s because the singularity that a spacecraft would have to contend with is very gentle and could allow for a very peaceful passage.

More:
https://theconversation.com/rotating-black-holes-may-serve-as-gentle-portals-for-hyperspace-travel-107062

[cstanleytech]

1. Downside is that even if it is possible to use some blackholes in such a manner we still have

the issue of being unable to travel to even one of them in any reasonable amount of time to make use of it.

[PJMcK]

2. I don't think I'd like to be the first one to try it! (n/t)

[GemDigger]

3. That was my first thought as well. nt

[customerserviceguy]

4. Yeah

the trash compactor scene from the first Star Wars movie still gives me claustrophobia.

[qazplm135]

5. ok, how about the second!

You could (not) learn everything that went wrong with the first trip!

[qazplm135]

6. my personal thought

which is worth exactly zero cents since no one really knows and certainly I don't...

is that each black hole leads to a new universe or maybe even forms one. Probably wrong. Almost assuredly wrong.

But I suspect the idea that there's a singularity in the center that takes all matter and crunches it effectively into one dimension is not what is going on.