Readit News logoReadit News
jshzglr · 3 years ago
Does anyone else ever think about some unseen space monstrosity taking us out in the blink of an eye?
skywal_l · 3 years ago
It's possible but improbable. When the Andromeda galaxy and the milky collide, there will be comparatively very few actual star collisions because galaxies are mostly made of empty space.

There is a much higher chance of being hit by an object that comes from our own solar system because it would have the same trajectory, speed, etc. I mean those things are following us permanently! And we know this because it already happened.

brundolf · 3 years ago
I think (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) that all we really need is our sun, and to not be swallowed in a black hole or something. Eg. if we lost our own black hole, or a hole got punched in our galaxy (not where we are), or our solar system got slung out of the galaxy (intact)- we'd be fine, right?
wahern · 3 years ago
There are other interstellar objects like comets, asteroids, planets, and dwarf stars roaming around that could take us out at any moment, directly or indirectly. A blackhole isn't much different than any of those in terms of consequence. The same process that would fling a blackhole around can fling anything around, and in theory primordial blackholes could be as small as most of those other objects.
POPOSYS · 3 years ago
There is a much higher probability that some human monstrosity will be taking you out in the blink of an eye.
evulhotdog · 3 years ago
Yes, and it’s absolutely terrifying. I know at that point I wouldn’t feel anything but it’s depressing to know that everything you have, and will ever know, could be destroyed in an instant.
marton78 · 3 years ago
Do not despair, in all likelihood you're just a Boltzmann brain anyway.
POPOSYS · 3 years ago
But that is life - you will die at the end. This is not a reason to be depressive, there is a way to find freedom accepting the volatile nature of everything. Enjoy your life, do not harm anybody and do positive work.
nsonha · 3 years ago
Not sure of the math but definitely not an instant, at that scale.
wahern · 3 years ago
Elon Musk has organized his entire business empire around that fear. (Or at least the parts of his empire that were deliberate.)
hulitu · 3 years ago
> 'Runaway' black hole the size of 20M suns found speeding through space

Someone shall fine the offender. /s

livescience.com or science.com same poor material.

yesenadam · 3 years ago
The comments on that article really make me appreciate HN.
deafpolygon · 3 years ago
Hey stop it, I need to sleep at night.