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Did you know we are constantly discovering new qualities about our universe and physical world? Every day scientists use new information to do things we did not know how to do before. Check out this column each month to learn what is happening in the field of science or follow us as we explore our world. You can contact Ethan by going to the Letters to the Editor page and sending your comments to "Dear Ethan".
Ethan
What is a Black Hole?
A black hole is a clump of matter with gravity so strong that anything that gets too close will get sucked in. It is called a black hole because it is too strong for light to escape so it is black. They grow larger as they consume more. People have always thought of black holes as eternal prisons! But recent discoveries have proved us wrong.
How a Black Hole is Formed
A black hole is formed when a lot of matter is stuffed into a tiny area. This can happen when a star that has burned off all its fuel explodes in a supernova. After exploding, the supernova pushes off the outer layers of the star in an expanding shell of gas and pushes the central regions inward. Then if the star is about three times the size of our sun it will form a black hole.
How to Escape from a Black Hole
There is a theory that people are testing. It is called the hawking radiation and was discovered by Stephen Hawking. The theory is that a black hole evaporates over billions of years. The bigger it is the slower it is. As it gets smaller it starts going faster. Eventually all the tiny particles that were in the black hole are gone and the black hole is gone.
I got my information from the book George’s Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawking.
Article by Ethan
Cartoon Written by Sean
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Cartoon Illustrated
by Katie
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