Physicists keep probing the LHC data for signs of quantum black holes

Physicists at UC Santa Barbara have pushed the hunt for quantum black holes deeper into the data coming out of the Large Hadron Collider, or LHC, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN. The search targets microscopic black holes that form briefly when particles collide at nearly the speed of light.

These tiny, fleeting objects represent one path theorists have taken to fix problems in our understanding of the basic shape of spacetime. The method used to look for them also opens a new way of searching for new particles.

What Quantum Black Holes Are

Quantum black holes are hypothetical particles that could form when two particles collide at high enough energy. Their existence would signal that gravity behaves differently at extremely small scales than current theories allow.

Why CERN Matters

The LHC sits outside Geneva, Switzerland, and accelerates protons to nearly the speed of light before smashing them together. Those collisions produce a shower of particles, some of which have never been seen before. The UCSB team sifts through that data looking for patterns that could mark a quantum black hole.

“The formation of these tiny, fleeting objects at the LHC represents one way theorists have sought to resolve anomalies in our understanding of the basic structure of spacetime.”

How the Search Works

The method used at UCSB treats the black hole as a signature rather than a direct measurement. Instead of finding the black hole itself, researchers look for the particles it decays into after the collision. That decay pattern would carry information about the black hole’s mass and structure.

The approach is new because it applies a fresh statistical framework to collider data.

What the Extension Means

Extending the search means applying the same method to more data. The UCSB team has applied the method to a larger dataset. That broadening increases the chance of spotting a signal.

The payoff could be huge. Finding a quantum black hole would require rewriting parts of fundamental physics. It would also demonstrate that the collider can detect signals produced by processes far beyond the Standard Model.

The Limits of the Hunt

The search faces real limits. Detecting a quantum black hole requires distinguishing it from the background noise of normal collisions. The more data scientists collect, the harder that task becomes.

There is also the question of scale. Even if a quantum black hole exists, it may form too rarely to be seen in any practical amount of data.

What Happens Next

Each new batch of collisions adds to the sample size, increasing the odds of catching a signal.

If nothing shows up, the result is still useful. It narrows the range of energies where quantum black holes could exist, helping guide future experiments.

The search continues.

Source material: “Physicists extend the search for quantum black holes at the LHC,” Phys.org.

CERN · LHC · particle physics · quantum black holes · UCSB