If the Big Bang created miniature black holes, where are they?
The hunt for missing, miniscule black holes left over from the Big Bang may be about to heat up.
Just as the trail for such diminutive black holes appeared to have gone cold, an international team of scientists has found clues in quantum physics that could reopen the case
Dark matter comprises 85% of the mass in the universe, but doesn't interact with light like everyday matter does.
That's the matter made up of atoms that comprise stars, planets, moons and our bodies.
Dark matter does interact with gravity, however, and this influence can affect "ordinary matter" and light.
Applying QFT to the infant cosmos led the team to believe there are far fewer hypothetical primordial black holes in the universe than many models currently estimate.
If this is the case, it may rule primordial black holes out as dark matter suspects altogether.
They may be small enough to go unnoticed, but strong enough to impact space.