Would You Die If You Went into a Black Hole?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were to fall into a black hole? The thought can be both fascinating and terrifying, especially considering that we don't fully understand these cosmic phenomena. However, scientists have made significant progress in understanding the behavior of black holes, providing us with some answers.

If the Earth were to collapse into a black hole beneath our feet, the experience would be identical to what would happen if we instantly replaced the planet with an Earth-mass black hole. This concept, known as the 'black hole interior,' was first proposed by physicist Roger Penrose and has since become a fundamental principle in General Relativity.

In this scenario, the physical story that we'd experience is governed by the laws of physics that govern spacetime, applicable to all observers at all points in space and at all instants in time. When matter collapses, it can inevitably form a black hole, which is characterized by an event horizon – a boundary beyond which nothing, including light, can escape.

As we fall into the Earth's collapse, the material composing our planet would immediately begin accelerating towards its center, as though it were in perfect free-fall. Over time, the density of this material would rise fantastically, with matter from all different radii passing through the exact center-of-mass of the Earth simultaneously.

In just a few minutes, enough matter would have gathered in the central region to form an event horizon for the first time. After about 20-21 minutes, the entire mass of the Earth would collapse into a black hole with a diameter of approximately 1.75 centimeters (0.69 inches). This is the inevitable result of an Earth's mass worth of material collapsing into a black hole.

The experience of falling into such a black hole would be unlike anything we can imagine. As we looked down, the space beneath our feet would distort and bend due to gravitational lensing, making it impossible to see what was happening below us. The light from the surrounding environment would remain opaque, allowing us to see only the distorted spacetime beneath our feet.

In conclusion, while falling into a black hole is an unimaginable experience, scientists have made significant progress in understanding these cosmic phenomena. By studying the behavior of black holes and their effects on spacetime, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the mysteries that lie within the universe.

Would you die if you went into a black hole