Synthetic Black Hole Event Horizon in the Laboratory

[yevaud]

Researchers at St. Andrews University, Scotland, claim to have found a way to simulate an event horizon of a black hole - not through a new cosmic observation technique, and not by a high powered supercomputer… but in the laboratory. Using lasers, a length of optical fiber and depending on some bizarre quantum mechanics, a "singularity" may be created to alter a laser's wavelength, synthesizing the effects of an event horizon. If this experiment can produce an event horizon, the theoretical phenomenon of Hawking Radiation may be tested, perhaps giving Stephen Hawking the best chance yet of winning the Nobel Prize.<br /><br />Full Article <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

Interesting article though the heading is a little misleading (really doesn't have much to do with black holes). <br /><br />That being said, I always if the reason we have not encountered other advanced life is due to the fact that as civilisations advance, at some point in time its physicists accidentally destroy their world by experimenting with black holes............ <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

If the experiment is reproducing an artificial event horizon, even despite the lack of an actual singularity, then the thread title is fairly exact. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[lampblack]

<font color="yellow">That being said, I always if the reason we have not encountered other advanced life is due to the fact that as civilisations advance, at some point in time its physicists accidentally destroy their world by experimenting with black holes............</font><br /><br />Well... at least Uplink's new forum software will have gone online first -- hopefully. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[robnissen]

<font color="yellow">at least Uplink's new forum software will have gone online first. </font><br /><br />I don't think so. Its pretty clear that the new software has obviously been sucked into a black hole. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[lukman]

This technology can be applied to a new generation of vaccum cleaner, imagine, no electricity needed, no dust bag maintainance or replacement needed. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Swampcat]

And it gets more powerful the more it sucks in <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

I shudder to think of synthetic black hole.

 

[jsmoody]

Reminds me of the expermentation going on at Brookhaven labs, colliding heavy nuclei at near light speed to "recreate conditions" in the first few seconds of the BB.<br /><br />Hmmm.....maybe that's how our Universe was created. Some over-zealous alien scientists in a previous universe, colliding heavy nuclei.....<br /><br />Also reminds me of the first atomic bomb. They weren't sure that it wouldn't trigger a chain reaction in the atmosphere and destroy the Earth. But they did it anyway!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> No amount of belief makes something a fact" - James Randi </div>

 

[lukman]

How to know that? can event horizon be observed? Did they observe something is disappearing into it? what is the size? and how long it was there for? personaly i think it was not plausible. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Well, they seem to feel it is so, and if so (unless we're postulating another Pons and Fleishmann), they can probably back up their claims. <br /><br />Most researchers are pretty damned cautious about making these sort of claims. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Fully agree.Atom bomb scientisted repented later on.Oppenheimer for example.