ScienceJuly 9, 2026
ergosphere
/ˈɜːr.ɡoʊˌsfɪər/
Definition
The outer region surrounding a rotating black hole where space-time itself is dragged in the direction of the black hole's rotation.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Greek 'ergon' (work) and the Greek 'sphaira' (sphere). It was coined in 1969 to denote the region where 'work' or energy can be extracted from a rotating black hole.
In the news
In this article, the ergosphere is described as the specific zone where a particle can split, allowing energy to be extracted from a black hole's rotation. This concept forms the basis for the researchers' synthetic experiments in wave amplification.
A black hole theory comes to life in the lab
Read the full article ↗EurekAlert!