In a groundbreaking experiment, scientists have recreated an effect known as the black hole bomb in a laboratory setting, confirming a theory first proposed more than 50 years ago.
Physicists from the University of Southampton, the University of Glasgow, and Italy’s National Research Council have successfully demonstrated how waves can be amplified by a rotating object—a concept originally tied to spinning black holes in space. The results, shared March 31 on the preprint server arXiv, have not yet been peer-reviewed.
The concept of the black hole bomb was introduced in 1972 by physicists William Press and Saul Teukolsky. They theorized that rotating black holes could emit waves that, when confined by surrounding mirrors, might reflect repeatedly, gaining energy with each reflection. This rapid amplification could lead to an explosive release, hence the term “bomb.”
Early theories laid the foundation for the black hole bomb effect
The recent experiment builds on even earlier theoretical work. In 1969, British physicist and Nobel laureate Sir Roger Penrose proposed that energy could be extracted from a spinning black hole—a process later known as black hole superradiance.
In 1971, Belarusian physicist Yakov Zel’dovich expanded on this idea by predicting that a rotating object could amplify incoming electromagnetic waves under certain conditions. This became known as the Zel’dovich effect.
Using this concept, the research team designed an experiment involving an aluminum cylinder spun by an electric motor. Around the cylinder, they placed three layers of metal coils that generated and reflected a magnetic field. The coils acted like mirrors, bouncing the field back to the spinning cylinder.
Simulating a black hole bomb in the lab. Sounds totally safe. What could possibly go wrong? 🤣
A team of physicists from the University of Southampton, the University of Glasgow, and Italy’s National Research Council has successfully simulated a “black hole bomb” in a… pic.twitter.com/6dVel3Kpdo
— Ash 🇦🇺 (@TheInspectorAsh) May 5, 2025
When a weak magnetic field was directed at the cylinder, the team observed that the returning field was stronger than the original, demonstrating superradiance.
Lab results confirm wave amplification and energy growth
In the next phase, they switched off the initial magnetic input. Surprisingly, the system began generating its waves. As the cylinder spun, it amplified these waves, and the coils continued to collect the growing energy. This confirmed that the Zel’dovich effect could be recreated under controlled conditions.
Zel’dovich had also predicted that if the surface of a rotating object moves faster than the waves hitting it, the system could shift from absorbing energy to amplifying it. The experiment confirmed that transition.
“Our work brings this prediction fully into the lab, demonstrating not only amplification but also the transition to instability and spontaneous wave generation,” said Maria Chiara Braidotti, a research associate at the University of Glasgow, in an email to Live Science.
Experiment pushes system to the edge, offers broad insights
The test pushed the equipment to its limits. “We sometimes pushed the system so hard that circuit components exploded,” said Marion Cromb, a researcher at the University of Southampton. “That was both thrilling and a real experimental challenge,” she told Live Science.
Although no real black holes were involved, the experiment shows that the principles behind rotational energy buildup are not limited to cosmic objects. The findings could offer new insights into how black holes spin and help scientists explore connections between space science, heat flow, and quantum physics.
The study is currently under review for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
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