What elements are inside a black hole?

The stellar explosions that produce black holes also spew elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen into space. The collisions of black holes and neutron stars help spread heavier elements, such as gold and platinum. These elements make up our Earth, and our own selves.

Is there any matter inside a black hole?

The singularity at the center of a black hole is the ultimate no man’s land: a place where matter is compressed down to an infinitely tiny point, and all conceptions of time and space completely break down. And it doesn’t really exist.

Is the universe entirely contained in a black hole?

The idea that our universe is entirely contained within a black hole provides answers to these problems and many more. It eliminates the notion of physically impossible singularities in our universe. And it draws upon two central theories in physics. The first is general relativity, the modern theory of gravity.

What happens when two black holes orbit each other?

Black holes orbiting each other create ripples in space-time, which propagate outward as gravitational waves. (Image credit: R. Hurt/Caltech-JPL) Black holes don’t always exist in isolation — sometimes they occur in pairs, orbiting around each other.

What can X-rays tell us about the existence of black holes?

X-rays can see through gas and dust much better than optical light. With the data from X-ray observations and the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists now believe that the presence of black holes explains a lot of the powerful events which occur in the Universe.

What is the fuel for black holes?

The fuel for the black hole, scientists believe, may be the trapped gas, stars, and dust that are pulled into the hole. Gas that is pulled into a black hole swirls down into the hole much like a whirlpool.