Could CERN Actually Create a Black Hole?
January 15, 2026
Could CERN actually create a black hole on Earth?
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When CERN switched on the Large Hadron Collider in 2008, global panic ensued. Headlines warned this machine had the power to create a black hole that could endanger the Earth. But could CERN really create a black hole? And if they did, what would actually happen?
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0:00 Could CERN Create a Black Hole?
3:09 The LHC Panic
6:53 Is the LHC Powerful Enough?
11:34 Are We In Danger?
14:15 The Worst-Case Scenario
18:52 Cosmic Radiation
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References:
“Will CERN generate a black hole?”, via cern.ch https://astrumspace.info/cern_blackhole
“The day the world didn’t end”, via phys.org https://astrumspace.info/world_end
“Facts and figures about the Large Hadron Collider”, via cern.ch https://astrumspace.info/lhcfacts
“Safety of the Large Hadron Collider”, via cern.ch https://astrumspace.info/lhcsafety
“The end of the world is not nigh”, via bbc.co.uk https://astrumspace.info/cern_end
“Black hole formation” via libretexts.org https://astrumspace.info/bh_formation
“Paper on Ultra-relativistic particle collisions”, via arxiv.org https://astrumspace.info/ultrarelativ...
“Extra dimensions, gravitons, and tiny black holes at CERN”, via cern.ch https://astrumspace.info/extradimensions
“Hawking radiation in Black Holes”, via nature.com https://astrumspace.info/hawkingradia...
“A black hole atom”, via medium.com https://astrumspace.info/blackholeatom
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Credits:
Writer: Jon McColgan
Video Editor: Eduardo Solórzano
Researcher: Shourya Shrivastava
Script Editor: Damaris McColgan
Thumbnail Designer: Peter Sheppard
Publishing Lead: Georgina Brenner
Production Manager: Raquel Taylor
Edit Producer: Poppy Pinnock
Head of Astrum: Jess Jordan
Creator of Astrum: Alex McColgan
With special thanks to:
NASA/ESO/ESA
#Astrum #Space #BlackHole #CERN
Could CERN actually make a black hole? Astrum explores the science behind black hole creation, examining the Large Hadron Collider's capabilities and theoretical risks. This deep dive into physics uses compelling visuals and explores the maths involved in such a scenario.