AaS! 129: Did the big bang make black holes?

Ask a Spaceman!

Paul M. Sutter

Astrophysics, Science, Cosmos, Holes, Black, Astronomy, Natural Sciences, Universe, Cosmology, Space, Physics

4.8 • 853 Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2020

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What kind of crazy physics made primordial black holes? What does that have to do with the LIGO observations of merging black holes? How can we possibly detect them? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter
All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com

Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PaulMattSutter
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaulMattSutter
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter

Read a book: http://www.pmsutter/book
Go on an adventure: http://www.AstroTours.co

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!

Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Matthew K, Justin Z, Justin G, Kevin O, Duncan M, Corey D, Barbara K, Neuterdude, Chris C, Robert M, Nate H, Andrew F, Chris L, Cameron L, Nalia, Aaron S, Kirk T, Tim R, Joe R, Neil P, Bryan D, Irene P, Matt C, Iothian53, Steve P, Debra S, Ken L, Alberto M, Ron W, Chris L, Mark R, Alan B, Stephen J, David P, John F, Maureen R, Frank T, Craig B, Jesse A, Steven L, Ulfert B, Dave L, Stace J, S Stark, Richard K, Carol S, Stephen M, Grace M, Jeremy K, Russell W, David B, Tamara F, Robert B, Fr Bruce W, Catherine R, Nicolai B, Sean M, Nate H, Edward K, Ped, Chuck C, Stephen S, Elizabeth W, Eric F, Tracy F, Callan R, Nils M, George, Tom G, Monika, Michael H, Tom, Sarah K, Robert S, Gerald, Jens O, Ella F, Sarah K, JJ_Holy, G Clune, Ryan L, Fenris N, Cindy R, Judy D, Sam R, Tom Van S, Bradley H, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, Nicole M, Stu S, Syamkumar M, John S, db8y97, Fred S, Robin M, Marc S, COTFM, Dr. Johnny Fever, BikeSanta, Darren W, Vladimir Z, Norm Z, Howard, Keith W, Homer V, Kevin P, Robert H, Mark D, Sean P, Ron S, David W, Sheldon S, Tanner B, Antonio M, Brianna V, Becky L, Jim B, Bruce A, Kia K, Derek N, Mihkel N, Arthur, Bill H, Justin W, Dave D, and Colin B!

Music by Jason Grady and Nick Bain. Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing.

Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	In 2015, LIGO, the laser inner promenor, let me see if I get this right, gravitational wave observatory.
0:16.7	I guess the W is silent.
0:19.3	Otherwise, it be LIGO, and anyway, that's a different episode.
0:22.9	LIGO detected its very first gravitational wave.
0:26.0	And it was the merger of two black holes.
0:29.1	And this detection was a huge milestone in physics.
0:33.6	I've talked about gravitational waves before, but I really will dedicate it whole episode
0:38.3	someday to gravitational wave detection and LIGO and all this.
0:42.1	The short version is that it took 25 years of development to get LIGO to actually see something.
0:50.6	I mean, this signal, gravitational wave signal is super tiny.
0:55.9	Even Einstein didn't think it ever be technically feasible to see this. It was a big deal, which is kind of why they want
1:01.8	to know about prize. And amongst all the hoopla of that first detection, which was a lot of well-deserved
1:09.8	hoopla for sure, but tucked in there was a very
1:12.5	strange surprise.
1:14.1	And it was almost lost in that noise and hoopla.
1:17.7	The surprise was the masses of the black holes involved in the merger event.
1:24.2	The masses were weird.
1:26.0	And you know me and weird things in the universe.
1:29.0	To me, weird means interesting.
1:32.4	The two black holes that collided to generate this gravitational wave signature that
1:38.0	LIGO detected had a mass, one of them had a mass of 30 solar masses.
1:43.7	Solar mass means, in case you've never
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Paul M. Sutter, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Paul M. Sutter and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.