Black holes are where we could experience some of the most extreme effects of general relativity. So what happens if you fall into one?
This week we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which he published on 25 November 1915. General relativity says that space and time are curved and distorted by matter, and this is what creates the phenomenon of gravity.
One of the spots in the universe where general relativity is tested to the limit is in a black hole – where space and time are so warped that they tear.
Watch the animation to find out what would happen if you fell into a black hole – what you would see, what outsiders would see, and what your ultimate fate would be.
What do you think would be the last thing that happened to you as you pass through a black hole? Leave a comment below and win a badge celebrating the centenary of general relativity.
Join the conversation via the hashtag #GR100 on social media.
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Hayley Dunning
Communications Division
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Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 2412
Email: h.dunning@imperial.ac.uk
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