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The Unreasonable Efficiency of Black Holes

minutephysics · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Cosmology & astrophysicsFundamental physics

What it is

Minutephysics compares how efficiently different processes convert mass to energy per E=mc^2, from fire and fission to fusion, antimatter and black holes, which can convert a large fraction of mass to energy.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Linked as a quick, clear primer when black hole energy and efficiency come up.

  • 2 people recommended it
  • 2 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “For readers who want some quick info”

    Quick info on Kugelblitzes and getting energy from black holes

    willis936, 2020-05 · Recommendation · in “Black hole paradoxes reveal a fundamental link between energy and order”

  2. “You may also enjoy: which is a minutephysics on black hole power”

    Black hole power using similar principles at higher efficiency

    jerf, 2021-10 · Recommendation · in “We've spotted a planet surviving its dying star”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: black holes, mass-energy equivalence, nuclear fusion, accretion, minutephysics

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