What If a Mini Black Hole Hit You? Scientists Say the Results Are Horrifying

Scientists reveal what would happen if a tiny primordial black hole passed through the human body. From shockwaves like bullets to gravity tearing brain cells apart, experts explain the gruesome science—and why there’s still no reason to panic.

Falling into a giant black hole is already a death sentence, but physicists say that even tiny, hidden black holes—leftovers from the early universe—could be just as lethal. These “primordial” black holes may be no bigger than an atom, yet pack the mass of an asteroid.

Professor Robert Scherrer of Vanderbilt University has now revealed what would happen if one ever passed through the human body—and the answer is brutally fascinating. The study is by Robert J. Scherrer and is published in the journal International Journal of Modern Physics D (2025) under the title “Gravitational effects of a small primordial black hole passing through the human body.

Shockwaves Like a Bullet, Gravity Like a Torture Device

If such a black hole slammed into a person, it would release two destructive bursts of energy: a violent supersonic shockwave and intense tidal forces.

The shockwave would ripple through the body like a high-powered bullet tearing through tissue. Scherrer calculates that a black hole weighing around 140 billion tonnes would hit with the same energy as a .22-calibre rifle round—easily fatal.

Meanwhile, the extreme gravity would stretch and pull differently on each part of the body. Inside the brain, these tidal forces—reaching 10 to 100 Newtons—could literally tug neurons apart from the inside.

Should We Worry? Scientists Say No

Despite their fearsome potential, primordial black holes remain purely theoretical. If they do exist, they are incredibly rare. In fact, the very absence of black-hole-related deaths on Earth suggests they’re not common enough to pose a real threat.

So while the science is horrifying, the likelihood of meeting one of these cosmic bullets is almost zero.