Black holes are super mysterious and fascinating, which is probably why they show up in so many sci-fi stories! In some books and movies they act as wormholes, a shortcut to another region of space. While the idea is exciting to think about, no one knows for sure if black holes lead anywhere.
Here's what we do know about these ultimate space vacuum cleaners. Scientists believe black holes are the remains of very large stars. These stars are so large that when they run out of fuel to burn, they collapse under the pull of their own gravity. This gravity is strong enough to suck in all matter in the area, including light.
Can a black hole lead anywhere if the gravity is so strong that not even light can escape? Most scientists are doubtful. The immense gravity of a black hole would stretch out and pull apart anything that comes near it! This is called spaghettification.
Black holes are also thought to be able to distort time. Imagine you were close to a black hole. (Close enough to feel its effect on the space around it, but not close enough to be spaghettified!) Time would pass more slowly for you than for your friends back on Earth. This is called time dilation. It means that when you return home you would find much more time has passed on Earth than for you. In a way, this would be like time travelling to the future.
Of course, we can't get close enough to a black hole to test this theory. But if you could, would you like to try?
Image source: “First image of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way” by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
