Science Questions

Is there a magnetic equivalent of a black hole? Black holes suck in light, is there the magnetic version of that? Andy

According to Einstein gravity attracts things, because it bends space, and a black hole occurs when this bending becomes extreme. As far as we know electric and magnetic fields don't bend space in the same way, so they wouldn't create a black hole. Also because like charges repel it would be very difficult to squeeze a large amount of charge together, so even if theoretically you could produce an electric or magnetic black hole practically it would be impossible.

But, in theory a black hole can be magnetic or at least the gas that's swirling around it would be magnetic. The gas becomes charged and essentially becomes electric current going around the black hole along with all the matter. You get a magnetic field created there. Whether you get something that actually sucks in magnetic field may be slightly different. Magnetic field in theory is related to light so really black holes should suck it all in at the same time.

May 2008