Posthuman Blues

Of 'Braneworlds' and Nearby Black Holes

For the braneworld model would have notable consequences. The hypothesis predicts that small black holes from the early universe -- with a mass similar to that of a small asteroid -- would have survived to the present. Such objects would be part of the dark matter that seems to pervade the universe, exerting gravitational force but reflecting or emitting no light. General Relativity says that such primordial black holes would have evaporated away by now, so finding them would make the braneworld hypothesis tenable.

It would also change our view of nearby space. For remarkably, if such black holes do exist, they may be close.

Think about that for a minute.