I was reading up on black holes recently, and it got me wondering could one actually influence Earth’s orbit or climate if it were close enough? I know they’re incredibly dense, but how far would one need to be to start causing noticeable changes here? I’m no astrophysicist, just a curious pediatrician with a soft spot for astronomy, so I’d love to hear from folks who know more about this. Are there any known black holes near us that could ever pose a risk, or is this purely sci-fi territory?
Well, doc, the good news is the nearest black hole is 1,500 light-years away so unless it starts doing CrossFit, we’re safe. But if one showed up for a cosmic house call, let’s just say your pediatric skills wouldn’t help with Earth’s new “teenage black hole phase” of erratic orbit!