Science Questions

Could scientists potentially make black holes in the lab?

Could scientists potentially make black holes in the lab? Could we do this and would it destroy the universe? David, Portland, Oregon

We put this question to Cristina Lazzeroni, Particle Physicist from Birmingham University:

Cristina:   Yes, we would like to make black holes with the large atom collider.  It would be very interesting because there are lots of things we don’t know about them and we could study them.  And no they would not destroy the entire universe because they would be very, very localised and they would last such a short time they would not destroy anything.

Chris:  Why wouldn’t they grow huge?

Cristina:   Because they will decay and die instantaneously like anything else.

October 2007