Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible (2009–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - Black Hole Odyssey - full transcript

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 ABSOLUTE NOTHINGNESS,
PREFERABLY. 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.

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...

YOU'D BE HAPPY IF YOU ENDED
UP WITH THE DINOSAURS? 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

AS WE GET VERY CLOSE 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 HAVE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. 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.

IT WOULD BE A WAY TO GO, THOUGH. 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.