susan earlam ~ horror author

Are you fascinated by Black Holes? I am.

It is perhaps a question you never expected to be asked here, but I’ve decided to embrace the full me lately. Embrace my weird, share all my interests not just a small handful. Taking blogging back to basics even, relax a little, make it more of a journal again. Do what you love, not what is expected of you– a quote I can’t remember who said, please enlighten me if you know.

Anyhooo… back to black holes.

I’m fascinated by space and the infinite expanse of it. I’m a sci-fi fan, I always have been and always will be. A black hole feels like the ultimate sci-fi trope and yet, they aren’t fiction.

This week I had the privilege of attending a Press day at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI for short) in Manchester. We (the press!?) were there for a special preview of the Manchester Science Festival 2018.

Before I go any further, there is a huge amount going on across the 11 days of the festival (18-28th Oct) and not just at MOSI. Check out the details here.

One of the headline pieces of the festival is an impressive installation “Distortions in Spacetime” by an artist collective called Marshmallow Laser Feast. It’s immersive, it’s beautiful, it’s kind of like being in an Earth, Wind & Fire/The Jacksons music video circa 1978. But it’s so much more than that too. It made me think of my favourite space films. It gave me lots to think about for my novel (surprise surprise, it has sci-fi elements).

The aim of the installation is to make it seem as though you are inside a black hole. Of course, it doesn’t feel like you are, hey, because you aren’t being torn apart by gravity and radiation. Thank goodness, this one of many theories of course.

It’s as close as we’ll ever get to experiencing a black hole and for someone like me, it captures the imagination and the possibilities of what could be.

I took some short video clips too and you can see those via my Instagram highlights here.

We are fascinated with black holes because of the “What If’s”… What if we could jump through time? What if there is an alternate dimension on the other side?

I felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation upon entering the installation, suddenly thinking, what if my vertigo comes back?! It didn’t, and it was strangely soothing once inside. Part of me wishes it could be a solo experience because personally, I’d get more out of it. But logistically that would be impossible, so if you go it will be experienced via small groups. It is free but you must book, I have a feeling it’s going to be popular.

Let me know if you too have a thing for black holes, or if you love sci-fi.

Share your favourite sci-fi book/film in the comments!