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AnimalMuppet • today at 12:33 AM • 3 replies • view on HN

Therefore... what? The universe is a black hole? (If so, what if anything does that change? Is there a singularity that we hit within a finite proper time?)

Or the universe is not a black hole? If that's the case, why isn't it?


Replies

Maxatar • today at 2:05 AM

The universe is not a black hole because the "Schwarzschild radius equation" only applies in a very specific/narrow circumstance, namely a perfectly spherical, non-rotating mass surrounded by vacuum in flat spacetime.

Applying that equation to the observable mass of the universe violates basically every single requirement needed to apply the equation.

svachalek • today at 1:13 AM

Often it's taken out of context by pop sci channels to propose the universe "could be" or even "is" in a black hole. But from my understanding, as a non-physicist, it's not surprising or interesting to most physicists that the math works out like this, and there's nothing else to suggest that we're in a black hole.

windsurfer • today at 2:05 AM

I don't think it means anything, it's probably just a curiosity. Simple equations like that probably don't work correctly when applied universe-scale.