Instant Genius

Our Universe could be trapped inside a black hole with no way out

Dec 8, 2025
Enrique Gaztañaga, a cosmologist from the University of Portsmouth, dives into the mind-bending theory that our universe might be trapped inside a black hole. He explains how extreme mass creates an event horizon and discusses the cosmic implications. Gaztañaga also explores how a collapse could have sparked the Big Bang and what might lie beyond our black-hole universe. He introduces fascinating concepts like singularities, quantum mechanics, and potential observations that could test this groundbreaking hypothesis.
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INSIGHT

How A Black Hole Is Defined

  • A black hole forms when escape velocity exceeds the maximum signal speed, the speed of light.
  • Enrique Gaztañaga explains this links space and time and creates an event horizon that traps everything inside.
INSIGHT

Light Speed Makes The Cosmos A Time Machine

  • Finite light speed turns the cosmos into a time machine: distant light shows the past.
  • Gaztañaga emphasizes that a finite propagation speed is what links space and time in relativity.
INSIGHT

Universe Mass Matches A Massive Event Horizon

  • The mass of the observable universe corresponds to an event-horizon radius larger than distances we see.
  • Gaztañaga argues those numbers imply we could be inside a black hole, which manifests as cosmic acceleration (dark energy).
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