Wormholes Might Be Getting Mistaken For Black Holes, Suggest Physicists

|
Wormholes Might Be Getting Mistaken For Black Holes, Say Physicists

A team of researchers at Sofia University in Bulgaria suggests that our understanding of wormholes needs to be updated. The physicists say that wormholes, hypothetical tunnels between different parts of the universe, might be getting mistaken for black holes, New Scientist reports.

 

Black holes are among the most mysterious objects in the universe, gobbling everything that comes in their proximity. But where this matter goes is still unknown. Physicists have long believed that these black could be leading to “white holes,” that spew out particles and radiation.

 

Wormholes Can Be Mistaken For Black Holes

These two ends could together form an Einstein-Rosen bridge or in simple words -- a wormhole. Some physicists think a wormhole would be capable of stretching any amount of space and time. This theory could change the laws of spacetime as known to humankind currently.

Now, researchers hint that the opening of a wormhole could appear similar to previously discovered black holes, similar to the Sagittarius A* black hole that lies at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

"Ten years ago, wormholes were completely in the area of science fiction," said team lead Petya Nedkova at Sofia University, as quoted by New Scientist. "Now, they are coming forward to the frontiers of science and people are actively searching."

Wormholes Difficult To Distinguish From Black Holes

The new paper, published in the journal Physical Review D, shows that the team developed a new computer model and found the radiation emanating from discs of matter around a wormhole’s edge might be impossible to differentiate from those around a black hole.

The model also suggested that the difference in the amount of light polarization emitted by a black hole and a wormhole would be below 4 percent.

"With the current observations, you cannot distinguish a black hole or a wormhole — there may be a wormhole there, but we cannot tell the difference," Nedkova added. "So we were looking for something else up there in the sky that could be a way to distinguish black holes from wormholes."

Lack Of Technology Is The Biggest Hurdle

The team believes that there could be ways to differentiate between the two in the future. For one, future studies can look for light coming out from the other end of the wormhole in the shape of small rings.

However, we don’t have the technology to make such observations of black holes. The only way to be sure is by scanning these space objects using high-resolution telescopes.

"If you were nearby, you would find out too late," Nedkova told New Scientist. "You’ll get to know the difference when you either die or you pass through."

Best Mobiles in India

Read More About: space science news features

Best Phones

Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Yes No
Settings X
X