# Can Singularities Really Exist?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 24, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248 "2003-02-24T21:20:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LiquidAmber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@LiquidAmber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiquidAmber)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248/1 "2003-02-24T21:20:15Z")

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I’ve often heard that there is a singularity at the center of black holes. And I understand that a singularity as being a place that is infinately small.

How can anything actually become infinitely small? I can understand becoming small beyond comprehension, but how do you reach infinitely small when infinity can not be reached?

Also, why wouldn’t the small between atomic particles in a black hole be limited to something like planks length?

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**Author:** ![LiquidAmber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@LiquidAmber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiquidAmber)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248/2 "2003-02-24T21:22:08Z")

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That last line was suppose to say space instead of small.

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**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248/3 "2003-02-24T21:32:13Z")

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Welcome to the boards **LiquidAmber**!

I’m no expert, but I’m guessing that the singularities become that small by the immense pressure of the black hole.  
I’m also guessing that in reality, there is a point that could maybe be measured possibly, but I think the point of a singularity is that it is _so_ small it is radically beyond our measurement.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-singularities-really-exist/157248/4 "2003-02-24T22:02:58Z")

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A singularity is by definition a place in which our current physics cannot be applied. Saying what a black hole is becomes very difficult. But I don’t think that black holes are usually referred to as infinitely small. Can you give a cite of a place that uses that term?