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Summary:: The most basic issue queried
Why do we know so little about black holes?
Why do we know so little about black holes?
Is Language Barrier a Reason for Our Limited Understanding of Black Holes?
- Thread starter A. Neumaier
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- Black holes Holes
In summary: When I was a child, I was taught by engineers and scientists who had read physics papers in German and certain math and electronics papers in French. English translations for Americans contained many assumptions, misunderstandings and errors. My dad's old science textbooks written in English often contained untranslated sections in European languages that the student was assumed to understand. To this day I am still learning what some old textbooks actually meant.In summary, French speaking scientists objected to the term 'black hole' because it is undignified.
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Because whenever new light is shed on them, it immediately disappears behind the horizon!
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ergospherical
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Many physicists are satisfied with a Kerrsory understanding.
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Nugatory
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I've fixed the thread level prefix
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Doesn't this belong in the "lame jokes" thread?
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It actually started off as a serious question by @DaveC426913 but his post #1 somehow disappearedPeroK said:
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berkeman
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So Dave is, is, spaghettified now?phinds said:
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PeterDonis
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Or maybe firewalled...berkeman said:So Dave is, is, spaghettified now?
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DaveC426913
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I do not recall this. Are you suggesting I started this thread? No. I would have been more descriptive with my subject line.phinds said:
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martinbn
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Unless there was information loss.DaveC426913 said:
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Huh. Maybe I'm having a senior moment but I could have sworn the original post was yours. Guess my memory isn't what it used to be *DaveC426913 said:
* to be fair, my memory never was what it used to be
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DaveC426913
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Whereas this subject line has no hair.DaveC426913 said:
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...but quantum hair!
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jedishrfu
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jedi: That would be entangled quantum hair.
dark jedi: A frayed knot.
dark jedi: A frayed knot.
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Glaswegian joke:
Is that a black hole or a meringue?
You're right enough, it's a black hole!
Is that a black hole or a meringue?
You're right enough, it's a black hole!
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No. It belongs in the "April 1 jokes" thread - wherever that thread is...PeroK said:
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Klystron
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Rumor has it French speaking scientists objected to the term as undignified.
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strangerep
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Heh, heh, I started one several years ago, here.A. Neumaier said:
But the joke character would be lost if they were all put in an obviously-Apr1 thread.
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strangerep
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Huh? Is that because they have a stronger cultural emphasis on bleaching?Klystron said:
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Oldman too
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Since it's no longer April fools day, how about another question?
What is the closest analogue to Quantum Particle?
https://www.quantamagazine.org/massive-black-holes-shown-to-act-like-quantum-particles-20220329/
"Physicists are using quantum math to understand what happens when black holes collide. In a surprise, they’ve shown that a single particle can describe a collision’s entire gravitational wave."
What is the closest analogue to Quantum Particle?
https://www.quantamagazine.org/massive-black-holes-shown-to-act-like-quantum-particles-20220329/
"Physicists are using quantum math to understand what happens when black holes collide. In a surprise, they’ve shown that a single particle can describe a collision’s entire gravitational wave."
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Sadly, most physicists don’t Kerr.ergospherical said:
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Klystron
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My knowledge of French colloquialism being non-existent, the translation evoked a different body part.strangerep said:
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DaveC426913
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Even rereading the thread several times, I still don't know what term exactly it is the French find undignified... Unless it's 'black hole'.Klystron said:
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Klystron
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When I was a child, I was taught by engineers and scientists who had read physics papers in German and certain math and electronics papers in French. English translations for Americans contained many assumptions, misunderstandings and errors. My dad's old science textbooks written in English often contained untranslated sections in European languages that the student was assumed to understand. To this day I am still learning what some old textbooks actually meant.DaveC426913 said:
In this context many jokes arose due to colloquial expressions. For instance, I think a lot of nonsense surrounding Albert Einstein 'quotations' arose from poor translations and outright jokes from colleagues. The OP retains a certain dignified Old World style in his textbooks IMO that I enjoy reading.
Hence, my use of the term 'undignified' when alluding to the 'black hole' naming kerfuffle. All in fun.
FAQ: Is Language Barrier a Reason for Our Limited Understanding of Black Holes?
What is a black hole?
A black hole is a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape from it. It is formed when a massive star dies and its core collapses under its own gravity.
How big can a black hole be?
Black holes can range in size from a few miles to billions of times the mass of our sun. The size of a black hole is determined by its mass, with larger black holes having stronger gravitational pulls.
Do black holes last forever?
Yes, black holes are thought to be eternal. They do not disappear or dissipate over time, unlike other celestial bodies. However, they can grow larger by absorbing matter and merging with other black holes.
Can anything survive inside a black hole?
No, anything that enters a black hole, including matter and light, is pulled into its singularity and crushed into an infinitely small point. The intense gravitational forces also cause extreme tidal forces that would tear anything apart.
Can black holes be seen?
Black holes themselves cannot be seen, as they do not emit any light. However, the effects of a black hole, such as its strong gravitational pull on surrounding matter, can be observed by scientists using telescopes and other instruments.