NEW ERA FOR BLACK HOLE RESEARCH OPENED BY NOVEL 'QUANTUM TORNADO'

Lab-based vortex promises new insights into the nature of space-time and gravity

If you think normal tornadoes are scary, buckle up: scientists have created one so strong that it resembles a black hole. In fact, the lab-based vortex mimics black holes so well, that it holds huge possibilities for black hole research.

An artificial vortex this powerful is something that's never been seen before and has been described as a 'quantum tornado'. While a regular tornado rips up trees and houses and reels them around, a quantum tornado reels atoms and particles around.

The team behind the vortex, led by scientists from the University of Nottingham working in collaboration with colleagues from King's College London and Newcastle University, published a report on their work in the journal Nature.