logo
episode-header-image
May 2020
14m 25s

What Would It Be Like To Fall Into A Bla...

NPR
About this episode
Black holes are one of the most beguiling objects in our universe. What are they exactly? How do they affect the universe? And what would it be like to fall into one? We venture beyond the point of no return with Yale astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan, into a fascinating world of black holes — where the laws of physics break down.

Talk the mysteries of our universe with Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong on Twitter @emilykwong1234. Email the show your biggest cosmological questions at shortwave@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
Shooting stars are just pea-sized rocks... and other space wonders
Ahead of the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, we're re-airing our first episode with host Regina G. Barber. In it, Regina and planetary scientist Melissa Rice explore all things shooting stars. They talk about the different types, where they come from and what they actually are ... Show More
11m 40s
Yesterday
More food and money, less disease: Senegal's surprising eco-experiment
In Senegal, rice farmers are trying to kill three birds with one stone – er, fish. Rice and fish are already a natural combination; they’re even the main ingredients of thieboudienne, the delicious national dish. But could that combination also reduce a debilitating disease, boos ... Show More
13m 30s
Aug 3
The new era of AI-powered cybercrime
Hacking has been on the rise around the world. In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 1 million complaints of cybercrime, a record high in the US. Hackers are always getting more creative, and now they have a new tool at their disposal: AI. Interested in ... Show More
12m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2017
What would happen if you fell into a black hole?
Two deadly cases today sent in by listeners to curiouscases@bbc.co.ukThe Dark Star "What's inside a black hole and could we fly a spaceship inside?" asks Jorge Luis Alvarez from Mexico City.Astrophysicist Sheila Rowan explains how we know invisible black holes actually exist. Plu ... Show More
26m 29s
Jan 2024
Can one black hole eat another black hole?
Black holes are one of the strangest things in space: gravity is so strong that nothing gets out, not even light, so learning about them is a big challenge for scientists. If black holes “eat” everything around them, could one black hole eat another black hole? We talked with ast ... Show More
5m 39s
Jun 2020
Black Holes
Brian Cox and Robin Ince look at the weird and wacky world of black holes as they ask a question that has been troubling scientists for years: What happens if you push Matt Lucas into a black hole? They are joined by the very game Matt Lucas, alongside cosmologist Sean Carroll an ... Show More
34m 56s
Jul 2024
Q&A - Black Hole Special
Have black holes existed since the beginning of the Universe? Could we produce a black hole in the lab? Could we use gravitational waves to probe beyond the event horizon? It's a black hole Q&A as Izzie put your questions to Becky and Robert. Plus, author and broadcaster, Marcus ... Show More
50m 18s
Jan 2016
Do black holes have no hair?
<p>Professor Stephen Hawking delivers the first of his two BBC Reith Lectures on black holes. </p><p>These collapsed stars challenge the very nature of space and time, as they contain a singularity - a phenomenon where the normal rules of the universe break down. They have held a ... Show More
29m 52s
Aug 2022
Cosmic Questions
<p>What is a black hole? Why do we remember the past but not the future? If time had a beginning, does it have an end?</p><p>We don’t have the answers to some of the universe’s biggest questions. What we do know often feels bleak, such as the notion that in a billion years there ... Show More
24m 54s
Jul 2022
Cosmic Queries – Intergalactic Impacts
<p>What happens when three black holes collide? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore even more cosmic collisions in space, in the quantum realm, and more!</p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free ... Show More
44m 49s
Mar 2024
Can We See Black Holes?
Why can’t we see black holes? Can we see black holes with a telescope? That’s what Tumble listener James wants to know. We explore the science of supermassive black holes and gravitational waves, with the help of astronomer Maura McLaughlin. Find out how the LIGO telescope is aid ... Show More
20m 58s
Mar 2024
Did You Know That If You Fell into a Black Hole You Would Stretch like Spaghetti
Meta Description: Ever wondered what would happen if you fell into a black hole? Get ready for the cosmic stretch – learn about the bizarre phenomenon of spaghettification. Find the full transcript of this episode and learn more about it on https://englishpluspodcast.com/black-ho ... Show More
2m 17s