I'M TAKING ON THE DEADLIEST, MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.
Dr. Kaku: I'LL PROBE THE HEART OF OUR GALAXY...
AS YOU FALL IN, ALL THE GAS AND DUST COMING IN
IS GOING TO PRODUCE SHOCK WAVES AROUND YOU.
...GET TURNED INTO SPAGHETTI...
OH, BOY. OH, BOY.
...AND CHALLENGE THE SCI-FI FANS.
Woman: I'D RATHER NOT GET SUCKED
INTO PREFERABLY.THINGNESS,
OH, MY GOSH.
THIS MISSION IS THE BIG ONE.
I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO PASS THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
I'M DR. MICHIO KAKU.
I'M A THEORETICAL PHYSICIST
AND A SCIENCE-FICTION [Echoing] FAN.
JOIN ME AS I SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE SCI-FI [Echoing] SCIENCE.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT SOUNDS FANTASTIC,
BUT I'M GONNA SEE IF I CAN USE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS
TO PASS RIGHT THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
NOW, UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST SCIENTISTS WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU
THAT THIS WOULD BE POINTLESS AS WELL AS IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT SOME NOW BELIEVE THAT AT THE HEART OF A BLACK HOLE
LIES A TUNNEL THROUGH SPACE-TIME --
A WORMHOLE.
OF COURSE, SCI-FI FANS HAVE NEVER DOUBTED IT.
SO, LET ME ASK YOU THE QUESTION OF ALL QUESTIONS.
WOULD YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH A BLACK HOLE?
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. BRING US THERE.
YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE THAT BLACK HOLE HAPPENS TO BE GOING TO.
I THINK WE'LL GO TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE
OR EVEN ANOTHER PART OF OUR GALAXY.
IT CAN TAKE YOU TO A PLACE
WHERE THE PAST AND THE FUTURE LIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
MAYBE WITH SOME DINOSAURS OR --
YWITH THE DINOSAURS?U ENDED UP
YEAH.
IN SCIENCE FICTION, WE HAVE ALL THESE TALL TALES
ABOUT GOING TO THE PAST, THE FUTURE,
ANOTHER UNIVERSE THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
AND WE PHYSICISTS USED TO SAY, "HA!
I MEAN, GIVE ME A BREAK. THAT'S JUST FANTASY."
WELL, WE'RE NOT LAUGHING ANYMORE.
THE LATEST RESEARCH SUGGESTS
THERE REALLY COULD BE A NEW WORLD
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A BLACK HOLE.
MAYBE, JUST MAYBE,
THE SCIENCE-FICTION WRITERS GOT IT RIGHT.
AND NOW IT'S UP TO US SCIENTISTS
TO WORK OUT HOW HUMANS CAN GO THERE AND SURVIVE.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.
FIRST OF ALL, CONSIDER THEIR ANCESTRY.
MOST BLACK HOLES ARE THE OFFSPRING OF STARS.
THE CENTER OF A STAR IS LIKE
A CONTINUOUSLY EXPLODING NUCLEAR BOMB
HELD TOGETHER BY GRAVITY.
A STAR IS A BALANCING ACT
BETWEEN GRAVITY, WHICH WANTS TO CRUSH THE STAR,
AND THE NUCLEAR FORCE, WHICH WANTS TO BLOW THE STAR APART.
BUT IN VERY BIG STARS, UP TO 50 TIMES MORE MASSIVE THAN OUR SUN,
AFTER THE FUEL IS EXHAUSTED, GRAVITY WINS.
THE STAR BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY IMPLODE AND THEN EXPLODE
IN THIS CATACLYSM CALLED A SUPERNOVA.
THE EXPLOSION CAN SHINE BRIGHTER THAN AN ENTIRE GALAXY.
AND WHEN IT DIES AWAY,
YOU'RE LEFT WITH SOMETHING EQUALLY DEADLY --
A BLACK HOLE,
A PLACE WHERE GRAVITY HAS BECOME SO EXTREME
THAT IT OVERWHELMS ALL OTHER FORCES IN THE UNIVERSE.
EVERYTHING GETS SUCKED INTO THE BLACKNESS AND DESTROYED.
IF A BLACK HOLE GETS TOO CLOSE TO US,
IT COULD LITERALLY EAT UP THE ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM,
INCLUDING THE EARTH,
AND IT WOULDN'T EVEN BURP.
AND THIS IS THE PLACE I'M SUGGESTING GOING TO VOLUNTARILY
AND THEN FLYING THROUGH.
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO DO --
FIRST, STEER MY SPACESHIP TOWARDS THE BLACK HOLE
AND GENTLY FALL IN.
TWO, TRAVEL TO THE VERY CENTER.
AND THREE -- AND HERE'S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING --
LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT.
ANDREW, HOW DO YOU DO?
OH, HI, MICHIO.
AND TODAY, WE'RE GONNA FLY IT TOGETHER.
IT'S WHAT COMES OUT OF EINSTEIN'S EQUATIONS
MATHEMATICALLY.
THAT'S THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT DOING THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SEE.
IT JUST COMES OUT.
WE'RE ON THE BRIDGE OF A SPACESHIP
FLYING TOWARDS A BLACK HOLE.
THAT TINY DOT PASSING
IN FRONT OF THE LUMINOUS GAS CLOUDS IN THE MILKY WAY
IS OUR TERRIFYING DESTINATION.
WE'RE 300 MILES AWAY AND CLOSING.
Dr. Hamilton: THE BLACK IS THE BLACK HOLE.
NOTHING CAN ESCAPE FROM THE BLACK HOLE,
SO NOT EVEN LIGHT CAN ESCAPE.
THAT'S WHY IT LOOKS BLACK,
AND THAT'S WHY WE CALL THEM BLACK HOLES.
EVEN 50 MILES OUT, WE CAN SEE
HOW THE BLACK HOLE IS TUGGING ON THE FABRIC OF SPACE-TIME,
WARPING IT INTO A VORTEX.
IT'S LIKE BEING IN A PSYCHEDELIC MOVIE.
NOW WE'RE A FEW MILES ABOVE THE BLACK HOLE'S SURFACE,
THE EVENT HORIZON.
ANY CLOSER AND WE'LL BE SUCKED TO OUR DOOM.
SO, ANDY PUTS THE SHIP INTO A SAFE ORBIT.
SO, THIS IS WHAT WE SEE FROM OUR ROCKET SHIP
AND ORBIT THE BLACK HOLE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT I CAN'T STAY OUT HERE.
I NEED TO GO RIGHT INSIDE THE BLACK HOLE
TO FIND OUT IN DETAIL WHAT THE DANGERS ARE.
TURNS OUT ANDY'S MORE THAN HAPPY
FOR ME TO CROSS THE EVENT HORIZON --
ON MY OWN, OF COURSE.
CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR STUNNINGEST BLACK-HOLE LOOK?
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
WOW.
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
I SEE YOU LOOK QUITE HAPPY, MICHIO, AT THIS POINT.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
SO FAR.
BUT THAT DOESN'T LAST LONG.
IN A FEW SECONDS, THE EFFECTS ARE DRAMATIC.
LOOK AT THAT.
OH, BOY.
OH, MY GOD.
OH, BOY.
SO I LOOK LIKE A STRAND OF SPAGHETTI.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THE BLACK HOLE'S EXTREME GRAVITY
IS STRETCHING ME THINNER AND THINNER
TILL EVENTUALLY, I'M ONE LONG THREAD A SINGLE ATOM WIDE.
AFTER WATCHING ANDREW'S ANIMATION,
I HAVE JUST ONE WORD --
WOW!
YOU KNOW, IF EINSTEIN WERE ALIVE AND WERE TO SEE THIS VIDEO,
HE WOULD SAY, "OH, MY GOSH, THIS IS AMAZING.
MY EQUATIONS MAKE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE?"
BUT THERE'S ONE DISTURBING ASPECT.
THESE DEVASTATING GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS START
LONG BEFORE I REACH THE BLACK HOLE ITSELF.
FORGET TRAVELING THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
I WOULDN'T EVEN GET CLOSE TO ONE.
SO THE QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET AROUND THIS?
COMING UP, I'M FACED WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
WHAT YOU NEED IS TO SOMEHOW GET THE BLACK HOLE
OUT OF THE GALAXY.
I LOOK FOR THE MOST MYSTERIOUS SUBSTANCE IN THE COSMOS,
AND I FACE THE FANS WITH THE ULTIMATE TRIP.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE DARING ENOUGH
TO FALL INTO A BLACK HOLE?
RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[ ALL CHEERING ]
I'M ON A MISSION STRAIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION
TO TRAVEL THROUGH A BLACK HOLE AND SURVIVE.
IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE EASY, BUT NOW I'VE DISCOVERED
THAT EVEN BEFORE I REACH THE BLACK HOLE,
MY SPACESHIP WILL BE DESTROYED IN A BIZARRE PROCESS.
PROFESSOR STEPHEN HAWKING
CAME UP WITH A TECHNICAL TERM FOR THIS.
IT'S CALLED "SPAGHETTIFICATION."
AS MY SPACESHIP APPROACHES THE BLACK HOLE,
ITS NOSE IS NEARER TO THE EVENT HORIZON THAN ITS TAIL,
SO THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL ON THE FRONT OF THE SHIP
IS STRONGER THAN THE PULL ON THE BACK.
20 POUNDS...
THE TRUTH IS, NO SPACESHIP COULD SURVIVE SUCH FORCES.
BUT ALL THIS TALK OF PASTA HAS GIVEN ME AN IDEA.
AH, LOOK AT THIS.
NICE.
MICH, I A QUESTION. YOU
MM-HMM.
I'VE STRETCHED OUT RAVIOLI DOUGH MANY TIMES.
BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THIS?
THIS REPRESENTS SPACE-TIME,
THE VERY SMOOTH FABRIC OF SPACE AND TIME ITSELF.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA RUPTURE IT
BY PUTTING A BLACK HOLE IN THE MIDDLE.
COMMON SENSE SAYS SPAGHETTIFICATION SHOULD BE GREATER
FOR A LARGE, GALACTIC, MASSIVE BLACK HOLE
THAN FOR A TEENY-WEENY, STELLAR BLACK HOLE.
HOWEVER, COMMON SENSE IS WRONG.
THE IMMENSE GRAVITY AROUND THE SMALL BLACK HOLE
CAUSES THE FABRIC OF SPACE TO BEND SUDDENLY.
THE SLOPE IS QUITE LARGE. IT'S VERY STEEP.
AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSES THE ATOMS TO BE RIPPED APART
IN SPAGHETTIFICATION.
WITH THE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE,
YOU WOULD EXPECT THE SLOPE TO BE STEEPER,
BUT THE SHEER SCALE MEANS THE EFFECT IS SPREAD OUT
OVER A HUGE AREA.
IT JUST DOESN'T WARP SPACE AS MUCH.
THE SLOPE IS GENTLE.
IT'S NOT AS STEEP AS THIS.
AS A CONSEQUENCE, IF YOU FALL INTO IT,
THE FORCE BETWEEN YOUR HEAD AND YOUR TOE IS NOT THAT GREAT,
SO YOU'RE NOT STRETCHED SO MUCH.
THIS SOUNDS COUNTERINTUITIVE,
BUT BIG BLACK HOLES ARE SAFER THAN SMALL ONES.
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TELLS ME? I MAKE STRONG PASTA.
[ BOTH LAUGHING ]
MY SPACESHIP WILL FLY TOWARDS A SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE.
I'VE CRACKED THE PROBLEM OF SPAGHETTIFICATION
BECAUSE THE WARPING OF SPACE-TIME HERE
IS NOT THAT EXTREME.
NOW ALL I NEED TO DO IS FIND ONE.
ASTRONOMERS BELIEVE THERE'S A SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE
AT THE HEART OF EVERY GALAXY, INCLUDING OUR OWN.
GERALD CECIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
IS AN EXPERT ON SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE'S GOT BAD NEWS FOR ME.
HE'S DISCOVERED SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES ARE SURROUNDED
BY SWIRLING CLOUDS OF GAS AND DEBRIS.
THIS COULD SPELL DISASTER FOR MY MISSION.
AS YOU FALL IN, ALL THE GAS AND DUST COMING IN WITH YOU
IS GOING TO COMPRESS AND PRODUCE SHOCK WAVES AROUND YOU.
THIS SHOCK WAVE WILL CAUSE THE GAS TO RADIATE
AT VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES
X-RAYS, GAMMA RAYS,
AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER NASTY THINGS.
AS MY CRAFT ACCELERATES THROUGH THE EVENT HORIZON,
DRAGGING GAS AND DEBRIS WITH IT,
THE GIANT BLACK HOLE BECOMES A SUPERHEATED MAELSTROM
OF DEADLY RADIATION.
NO AMOUNT OF INSULATION
CAN STOP MY SPACESHIP FROM VAPORIZING.
IT SHOULD BE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD FOR ME,
BUT LUCKILY, GERALD HAS AN IDEA.
WHAT YOU NEED IS TO SOMEHOW GET THE BLACK HOLE OUT OF THE GALAXY
INTO AN ENVIRONMENT AWAY FROM ALL THE GAS AND DUST
THAT'S NORMALLY IN A GALAXY.
SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE, RIGHT?
YEAH, KATIE, CAN YOU BRING UP THE SIMULATIONS?
WELL, GERALD HAS SEEN EVIDENCE THAT THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS.
COMPUTER SIMULATIONS REVEAL IN SECONDS
WHAT OCCURS OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS AS GALAXIES COLLIDE.
EXPERTS HAVE DISCOVERED
THAT SOMETIMES DURING THIS VIOLENT PROCESS,
A SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE GETS HURLED OUT INTO EMPTY SPACE.
AS IT EMERGES FROM THE GALAXY,
IT LEAVES BEHIND MUCH OF THE GAS AND DUST,
AND IT EMERGES OUT INTO INTERGALACTIC SPACE
WITH VERY LITTLE EXTRA MATERIAL.
AND THAT'S THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU WOULD WANT
IN ORDER TO DROP INTO IT
WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT ALL THESE RADIATION EFFECTS.
THIS IS THE ANSWER.
MY SPACESHIP CAN FLY
INTO ONE OF THESE RARE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES
WITHOUT BEING SPAGHETTIFIED OR FRIED.
BUT NOW THE FUN REALLY BEGINS.
AT THE VERY CENTER OF A BLACK HOLE
LIES A PLACE WHERE SPACE AND TIME NO LONGER EXIST.
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS
FACING ALL OF MODERN PHYSICS.
NOW, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
IN SCIENCE-FICTION MOVIES,
THEY MAKE IT SOUND SO EASY TO TRAVEL THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
BUT IN PRACTICE, IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE.
AND IN FACT, WE'VE HIT A PROBLEM.
AT THE VERY CENTER OF A BLACK HOLE LIES A MONSTER.
IT'S CALLED THE SINGULARITY.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE SPACE AND TIME HAVE NO MEANING.
THIS IS WHERE ALL THE STUFF THAT FALLS INTO A BLACK HOLE
ENDS UP.
IF THERE WAS A SINGULARITY AT THIS JUNCTION,
CARS WOULD BE SUCKED INTO IT AND CRUSHED TO NOTHING.
PROBLEM IS, OUR DESTINATION,
THE WORMHOLE THAT MIGHT LEAD TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE,
IS AT THE CENTER OF THE SINGULARITY.
EVEN THE SCI-FI FANS
SEEM A LITTLE OVERWHELMED BY THE CHALLENGE.
YOU WOULD HAVE BETTER ODDS OF FLYING A JUMBO JET
THROUGH A BOWLING BALL.
AMAZING CRUSHING ABILITY AND DEATH.
ITO GO, THOUGH.AY
YEAH.
THE TRADITIONAL VIEW
IS THAT THE SINGULARITY IS A DOT SMALLER THAN AN ATOM.
BUT THE DOT SINGULARITY HAS HAD ITS DAY.
THAT SINGULARITY COMES OUT OF EINSTEIN'S EQUATIONS
FOR A STATIONARY BLACK HOLE.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ALL BLACK HOLES ARE STATIONARY.
WE HAVE RECENTLY SEEN
THAT MOST BLACK HOLES ARE ACTUALLY SPINNING.
AND THE SPIN HAS A DRAMATIC EFFECT
ON THE SHAPE OF THE SINGULARITY.
BLACK HOLES THAT ARE SPINNING VERY RAPIDLY
COLLAPSE NOT TO A DOT, BUT TO A RING.
SO, YOU CAN THINK OF A SINGULARITY
A BIT LIKE COLUMBUS CIRCLE --
A SPACE ENCLOSED BY A DANGEROUS RING.
ANY SPACESHIP THAT FELL INTO THE RING'S SINGULARITY FROM THE SIDE
WOULD FIRST BE TORN APART, SPAGHETTIFIED,
MADE RADIOACTIVE, AND CRUSHED TO DEATH.
NOW, AS FEROCIOUS AS THIS RING SINGULARITY IS,
THERE IS A WAY AROUND IT.
IF MY SPACESHIP APPROACHES FROM ABOVE,
THEN IT SHOULD GET RIGHT TO THE MOUTH OF THE WORMHOLE.
HERE WE ARE AT THE CENTER OF A SPINNING BLACK HOLE.
IT'S AMAZING.
IT'S PERFECTLY CALM, JUST LIKE THE EYE OF A HURRICANE.
BUT IT MIGHT NOT STAY CALM FOR LONG.
THE WORMHOLE IS VERY UNSTABLE,
AND MY SPACESHIP WILL BE TRAVELING AT ENORMOUS SPEED,
SO THE GRAVITY GENERATED BY MY SHIP'S MASS
COULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE WORMHOLE COLLAPSE.
WE NEED TO FIND SOMETHING THAT COULD KEEP THE GATEWAY OPEN
EVEN AS YOU FALL INTO IT.
NOW, SCIENCE-FICTION FANS CALL IT DILITHIUM CRYSTALS,
BUT WE PHYSICISTS KNOW BETTER.
FIND OUT MORE AT...
I'M ON A MISSION TO TRAVEL THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO KEEP THE GATEWAY, THE WORMHOLE, OPEN.
TO ANSWER THAT, I HAD TO GO TO THE VERY EDGE OF KNOWN PHYSICS.
THIS IS WHERE REAL SCIENCE
STARTS TO SOUND LIKE SCIENCE FICTION.
TO KEEP THE WORMHOLE OPEN,
I NEED SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK
A BIT LIKE "STAR TREK'S" DILITHIUM CRYSTALS.
DILITHIUM CRYSTALS ARE USED TO POWER THE WARP DRIVES.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO MINE,
AND THEY'RE VERY RARE AND THUS VERY VALUABLE.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE PHYSICISTS THINK
THAT WE HAVE A COUNTERPART CALLED NEGATIVE MATTER
THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY EXIST.
IT HAS ANTI-GRAVITATIONAL PROPERTIES.
INSTEAD OF FALLING DOWN...
IT FALLS UP.
THIS STRANGE MATERIAL COULD STOP THE SHIP'S OWN GRAVITY
FROM DESTROYING THE WORMHOLE.
NEGATIVE MATTER IS A GAME CHANGER.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAVE A WAY TO STABILIZE THE WORMHOLE.
THE RING NORMALLY WANTS TO COLLAPSE,
BUT BECAUSE NEGATIVE MATTER IS ANTI-GRAVITATIONAL,
IT FORCES THE RING OPEN.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN NEGATIVE MATTER.
IF IT DOES EXIST, I BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE BEEN PUSHED
FAR OUT INTO DEEP SPACE BY NORMAL MATTER.
IT MIGHT HAVE COLLECTED AS ASTEROIDS
IN THE VOIDS BETWEEN THE PLANETS.
WHOO! YEAH!
I THINK I'M READY TO TELL THE SCI-FI FANS MY PLANS.
BUT I'M WORRIED.
THEY PROBABLY KNOW THAT MANY SCIENTISTS DON'T BELIEVE
THAT NEGATIVE MATTER EVEN EXISTS.
BUT I'M GONNA TAKE A POSITION.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT NEGATIVE MATTER MIGHT BE ABLE
TO STABILIZE THE WORMHOLE.
BUT, HEY, I'LL BE FRANK ABOUT THIS.
IT'S A GAMBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT GUINEA PIG.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE THE FIRST.
IF I PERSONALLY WAS FALLING INTO A BLACK HOLE,
I WOULD JUST CALL TO BE BEAMED OUT.
[ BEEPING NOISE ]
CHIEF, GO FOR ONE.
BLACK HOLES ARE SO FASCINATING
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS BREAK DOWN.
THAT'S WHERE NEW PHYSICS IS GONNA BE DISCOVERED.
PERHAPS THE NEXT SET OF NOBEL PRIZES
WILL EMERGE FROM A BLACK HOLE.
[ ALL CHEERING ]
OKAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY
WOULD LIKE TO ONE DAY VISIT A BLACK HOLE?
RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[ ALL CHEERING ]
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE DARING ENOUGH
TO FALL INTO A BLACK HOLE?
[ SCATTERED CHEERS ]
OH HO HO!
A LITTLE MORE CAUTIOUS THERE, RIGHT?
NOW, IT WAS EINSTEIN HIMSELF WHO SAID
THAT IF YOU FALL INTO A BLACK HOLE,
PERHAPS THERE'S A GATEWAY
CONNECTING YOU TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE,
BUT HE DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD MAKE IT THROUGH.
BUT NOW WE'RE NOT SO SURE.
SO, LET'S TAKE A TRIP THROUGH A BLACK HOLE.
THE FIRST PROBLEM IS SOMETHING CALLED SPAGHETTIFICATION.
IT'S LONG BEEN THOUGHT THAT ANY SPACECRAFT,
NO MATTER HOW STRONG, WOULD BE TORN TO PIECES.
BUT IF WE CAN FIND AN ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS BLACK HOLE,
THE STRETCHING FORCES WILL BE MUCH WEAKER.
SO THE SOLUTION OF SPAGHETTIFICATION IS
FIND A BIGGER BLACK HOLE.
NOW, THE NEXT PROBLEM IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS --
RADIATION.
AS OUR SPACESHIP ENTERS THE BLACK HOLE,
LOTS OF DUST AND GAS FALLS IN WITH IT.
ALL THIS STUFF SMASHES TOGETHER
AND PRODUCES A DEADLY WALL OF X-RAYS AND GAMMA RAYS.
HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THAT?
WELL, IT TURNS OUT, WHEN GALAXIES GET TOO CLOSE TOGETHER,
THE BLACK HOLES CAN SWIRL AROUND EACH OTHER
AND SOMETIMES GET FLUNG OUT.
THESE EJECTED BLACK HOLES END UP FLOATING IN EMPTY SPACE,
WHERE THEY HAVE VIRTUALLY NOTHING TO FEED ON.
THIS MEANS THE RADIATION INSIDE THEM IS MUCH LESS.
BUT NOW LET'S CONFRONT THE BIG PROBLEM.
AT THE CENTER OF THE BLACK HOLE,
INSIDE A DEADLY SPINNING RING,
IS OUR TARGET, THE WORMHOLE.
IT'S HIGHLY UNSTABLE,
AND THE PRESENCE OF MY SPACESHIP ALONE
COULD CAUSE IT TO SNAP SHUT.
TO KEEP THE WORMHOLE OPEN,
WE NEED SOMETHING TRULY REMARKABLE.
WE HAVE TO FIND THE RAREST SUBSTANCE IN THE UNIVERSE --
NEGATIVE MATTER.
I'M GONNA SEND DRONE SHIPS
OUT TO THE FAR CORNERS OF THE UNIVERSE
TO FIND NEGATIVE-MATTER ASTEROIDS.
THE MASS OF THE DRONES WILL REPEL THESE EXOTIC ROCKS,
SHEPHERDING THEM TOWARDS OUR GOAL.
THEY BUMP INTO THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE DEFLECTED BY GRAVITY,
AND WE DIRECT THEM TOWARD THE BLACK HOLE.
AS THE NEGATIVE-MATTER ASTEROIDS
PLUNGE INTO THE HEART OF THE BLACK HOLE,
THEIR ANTI-GRAVITATIONAL PROPERTIES
HOLD THE MOUTH OF THE UNSTABLE WORMHOLE OPEN
JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR MY SPACESHIP TO FLY THROUGH.
AND NOW HOW MANY OF YOU FEEL CONFIDENT
TO TAKE THAT SAME RIDE THROUGH THAT BLACK HOLE?
RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[ ALL CHEERING ]
SUCKERS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
I DON'T HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT WE CAN GET TO A BLACK HOLE
ANYTIME SOON.
THE TECHNOLOGY MAY EVENTUALLY COME ABOUT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S AN INTERESTING DREAM.
I HAVE BEEN FASCINATED BY BLACK HOLES SINCE I WAS A KID.
I ALWAYS WAS LIKE, "I WANT TO TRAVEL THROUGH IT,
BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET SQUISHED."
I'M JUST AFRAID THAT A BLACK HOLE WILL MESS UP MY HAIR.