# So what's plan B if the LHC produces a black hole that doesn't go away? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079 "2008-12-29T17:00:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/1 "2008-12-29T17:00:48Z")
Does anyone know if there’s a plan to deal with unexpected and dangerous products of the Large Hadron Collider? What are scientists going to do if, for example, it produces a mini black hole that doesn’t evaporate? Would they even be able to notice it before it’s too late? Can they box it up suspended in a vacuum and ship it into outer space? I know everyone at CERN says that this isn’t a possibility, but humans are fallible and a lot of the science behind this is theory. Have we ever observed a mini black hole or one that “evaporates”? Oh, by the way, did anything ever come of those lawsuits over this thing? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/2 "2008-12-29T17:03:34Z")
Plan B: There is no Plan B. ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/3 "2008-12-29T17:19:38Z")
There really is no plan B. If micro black hole appears and it will be stable, that means that our understanding of physics is obsolete. So we can’t plan to do anything with that using our present knowledge of physics. But, IF micro black hole appears, and it will be stable and it won’t zip into space by itself, then according to our best knowledge it still will take a lot of time eat Earth from inside. So we will have thousand years at worst to do something about that. Possibly much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/4 "2008-12-29T17:22:06Z")
> [@puppygod](#): > > So we will have thousand years at worst to do something about that. Possibly much longer. Yep, plenty of time to put your head between your knees. And kiss your ass goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/5 "2008-12-29T17:35:07Z")
Duck and cover. ---
**Author:** ![unclelem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ac91a4/32.png) [@unclelem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclelem)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/6 "2008-12-29T17:52:06Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > Oh, by the way, did anything ever come of those lawsuits over this thing? You mean the one put forward by the biologist? Yes, the judge noted that Switzerland is not in the jurisdiction of Hawaii, and then threw it out. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/7 "2008-12-29T18:05:54Z")
I plan to get sucked into a black hole. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/8 "2008-12-29T18:30:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I plan to get sucked into a black hole. I’m on board with this. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/9 "2008-12-29T18:55:01Z")
All radio stations will play Slip Sliding Away as the Earth is sucked piece by piece into the black hole. Due to gravitational forces you may be able to to kiss your own ass goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/10 "2008-12-29T20:18:38Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > All radio stations will play Slip Sliding Away as the Earth is sucked piece by piece into the black hole. Due to gravitational forces you may be able to to kiss your own ass goodbye. Since this is GQ, I must note that your comment is factually incorrect. Even if supposed black hole would suck in whole Earth mass, it still would max out at Earth gravitational pull - i.e. 1g. Not enough to literally make you kiss your ass goodbye. Unless you are really nimble. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/11 "2008-12-29T20:24:19Z")
> [@puppygod](#): > > Since this is GQ, I must note that your comment is factually incorrect. Even if supposed black hole would suck in whole Earth mass, it still would max out at Earth gravitational pull - i.e. 1g. Not enough to literally make you kiss your ass goodbye. > > Unless you are really nimble. Earth’s gravity is only 1G when you are one Earth radius away from its center. If a black hole sucked up the entire earth, and you ended up just a few feet away from it, you would feel a great deal more than 1G of force. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/12 "2008-12-29T20:34:38Z")
I expect the plan for what to do if the LHC creates a stable, world-devouring black hole is similar to the plan for what to do if the LHC opens a portal to an alternate reality full of vampire elves. That is, there isn’t one, because such a thing happening would mean our understanding of reality is so far off that there’s not much point in making plans for what to do ahead of time. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/13 "2008-12-29T20:40:13Z")
Even if a microscopic black hole formed during a LHC collision and was stable, it’s mass would be so small that it couldn’t suck anything in, and it would not grow. This is just one of the reasons that all the various investigative bodies decided that the LHC posed no risk. LHC MBHs don’t suck. Si ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/14 "2008-12-29T21:16:58Z")
Cheap garbage disposal? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/15 "2008-12-29T21:33:22Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > I expect the plan for what to do if the LHC creates a stable, world-devouring black hole is similar to the plan for what to do if the LHC opens a portal to an alternate reality full of vampire elves. That is, there isn’t one, because such a thing happening would mean our understanding of reality is so far off that there’s not much point in making plans for what to do ahead of time. Sounds like the answer I keep giving my girlfriend to her question, “What would you do if you came home from work and I were here with another girl waiting for you?” ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/16 "2008-12-29T22:11:06Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > I know everyone at CERN says that this isn’t a possibility, but humans are fallible and a lot of the science behind this is theory. Have we ever observed a mini black hole or one that “evaporates”? **AndrewL’s** reply is on point. What if the LHC creates a portal to the vampire dimension? Should we prepare for that possibility because humans are fallible? Scientist use the best method for uncovering truth that we have. If all of them get this wrong then we can’t really be sure of anything anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/17 "2008-12-29T22:14:21Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > **AndrewL’s** reply is on point. What if the LHC creates a portal to the vampire dimension? Should we prepare for that possibility because humans are fallible? No, we should prepare for that possibility because Orcs with spear guns would be _awesome_. ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/18 "2008-12-29T23:24:58Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > Even if a microscopic black hole formed during a LHC collision and was stable, it’s mass would be so small that it couldn’t suck anything in, and it would not grow. This is just one of the reasons that all the various investigative bodies decided that the LHC posed no risk. > > LHC MBHs don’t suck. > > Si Thanks for the only serious answer. Do all physicists agree on the science behind this? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/19 "2008-12-29T23:42:05Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > Thanks for the only serious answer. I think you should count them again. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079/20 "2008-12-29T23:42:28Z")
> [@Rusalka](#): > > Thanks for the only serious answer. Do all physicists agree on the science behind this? The answers that you characterize as non-serious are just as likely as the scenario you posit in your OP. This is not snark, but the truth is that just because physicists say that there is a non-zero chance that the LHC could create a micro black hole, it does not mean that it’s very likely. There is also non-zero chance that pineapple-banana sundaes with pink sprinkles will be spontaneously created by the LHC, but I wouldn’t bring a spoon if I was going to be about during the experiments. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-plan-b-if-the-lhc-produces-a-black-hole-that-doesnt-go-away/479079.md?page=2)