What Lies Between Galaxies? Ejected Stars, Rogue Planets and Exotic Matter

TL;DR

Rogue stars, planets, and potentially even civilizations may exist in intergalactic space, providing a solution to the "missing baryon problem" and a potential refuge from high radiation environments. The existence of negative mass exotic matter in intergalactic space could also have implications for future technologies.

Transcript

We often view intergalactic space as a no man's land of empty space-time. And, it mostly is, about the most you'll find at most points within it are diffuse hydrogen atoms passing by. But there are some objects wandering the lonely reaches of intergalactic space, including stars and planets. And, it's just possible that there may even be somewhere ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤩 Intergalactic space is not completely empty and contains objects like rogue stars and planets.
• 🤩 Rogue stars may make up as much as half of all stars in the universe, potentially aiding in solving the "missing baryon problem."
• 🥵 Intergalactic space may provide a refuge for life on rogue planets, especially if they have sources of heat and protective atmospheres.

Questions & Answers

Q: How are rogue stars formed and why do they end up in intergalactic space?

Rogue stars are typically formed inside galaxies but are ejected by gravitational chaos during galaxy collisions or when a multiple star system gets too close to a black hole. One star gets sucked into the black hole, while the others are flung out into intergalactic space.

Q: How do rogue stars contribute to the "missing baryon problem"?

The presence of a large number of rogue stars in intergalactic space suggests that as much as half of all stars in the universe could be wandering in between galaxies. This could help account for the missing baryons, which are the particles that make up ordinary matter.

Q: Is it possible for life to exist on rogue planets in intergalactic space?

While passing near a black hole is not conducive to life, if life were to arise on planets after they were ejected from their parent galaxy, intergalactic space could potentially be home to civilizations unassociated with galaxies. These planets may have sources of heat like nuclear decay or thick hydrogen atmospheres.

Q: What is negative mass exotic matter and its significance in intergalactic space?

Negative mass exotic matter is a hypothetical form of matter that exhibits negative mass. While its existence is uncertain, it features prominently in theories involving artificial wormholes, traversing black holes, and faster-than-light travel. It could potentially be present in intergalactic space.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Intergalactic space is not completely empty and contains wandering objects, such as rogue stars and planets, that have been ejected from their parent galaxies due to gravitational interactions.

• The existence of a large number of rogue stars in intergalactic space may help resolve the "missing baryon problem" by accounting for a significant portion of the baryon particles in the universe.

• Rogue planets may also exist in intergalactic space, potentially harboring life if they have sources of heat, such as nuclear decay or thick hydrogen atmospheres.

• Hypothetical exotic matter with negative mass could also be present in intergalactic space, which may be necessary for the development of advanced technologies like wormholes and faster-than-light travel.