PageSourceSearch

https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/

html curiousmeerkat.co.uk collected 2026-10-08 04:38:34 UTC 92,684 bytes, 839 lines download raw bytes

1
2<!DOCTYPE html>
3<!--[if IE 8]>
4<html id="ie8" lang="en-US">
5<![endif]-->
6<!--[if !(IE 8) ]><!-->
7<html lang="en-US">
8<!--<![endif]-->
9    
10<head>
11    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
12    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" />
13    
14<link rel="profile" href="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11" />
15<link rel="pingback" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/xmlrpc.php" />
16<!--[if lt IE 9]>
17<script src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/themes/cm/js/html5.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
17
18<![endif]-->
19
20            <style type="text/css">
21                span.h4_text, span.by_text {
22                    color: #000000;
23                }
24            </style>
25        
26        <style type="text/css">
27            .author_box_tabs_navigation a.selected {
28                border-bottom: 1px solid #f6f9f3 !important;
29                background-color: #f6f9f3 !important;
30            }
31            .author_box_tabs_content {
32                background: #f6f9f3;
33            }
34            .author_box_tabs_navigation a.selected, a.box_links, a.box_links:visited, a.box_links:active, a.box_links:link, a.box_links_2, a.box_links_2:hover, a.box_links_2:visited, a.box_links_2:active, a.box_links_2:link {
35                color: #87056c !important;
36            }
37            .author_box_tabs_content li p, .birds_box_text p {
38                color: #000000;
39            }
40            .no-touch .author_box_tabs_navigation a:hover, a.box_links:hover {
41                color: #757575;
42            }
43
44        </style>
45    <meta name='robots' content='index, follow, max-image-preview:large, max-snippet:-1, max-video-preview:-1' />
46
47	<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.6 - https://yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/ -->
48	<title>Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? | Curious Meerkat</title>
49	<meta name="description" content="When I was young, Pluto was still a planet and nine was my lucky number, so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system - it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto’s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it. Astronomy, Black hole, Orbit, Physics, Pluto, Top Stories" />
50	<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" />
51	<meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" />
52	<meta property="og:type" content="article" />
53	<meta property="og:title" content="Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? | Curious Meerkat" />
54	<meta property="og:description" content="When I was young, Pluto was still a planet and nine was my lucky number, so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system - it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto’s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it. Astronomy, Black hole, Orbit, Physics, Pluto, Top Stories" />
55	<meta property="og:url" content="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" />
56	<meta property="og:site_name" content="Curious Meerkat" />
57	<meta property="article:published_time" content="2020-05-04T08:17:00+00:00" />
58	<meta property="article:modified_time" content="2020-05-04T19:25:23+00:00" />
59	<meta property="og:image" content="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" />
60	<meta property="og:image:width" content="950" />
61	<meta property="og:image:height" content="600" />
62	<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" />
63	<meta name="twitter:creator" content="@SotonAstrodome" />
64	<meta name="twitter:site" content="@claireasher" />
65	<meta name="twitter:label1" content="Written by" />
66	<meta name="twitter:data1" content="Sadie Jones" />
67	<meta name="twitter:label2" content="Est. reading time" />
68	<meta name="twitter:data2" content="6 minutes" />
69	
69<script type="application/ld+json" class="yoast-schema-graph">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#/schema/person/dd3a99575861bba1e14b1c703cf47772","name":"Claire Asher","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df100f21280d6b24aa0fb754b3c956cc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df100f21280d6b24aa0fb754b3c956cc?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Claire Asher"},"logo":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#personlogo"},"description":"Claire is a Freelance Science Writer and Communicator, and Innovation Officer for the London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership. She created Curious Meerkat in 2009, and has also written for a variety of publications including New Scientist, BBC Earth, Science, Nature, Mongabay, and The Scientist, as well as contributing to several books.. She completed her PhD in 2013 on the social behaviour of dinosaur ants.","sameAs":["http://www.claireasher.co.uk","https://instagram.com/claireasher/","https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=409021276","https://uk.pinterest.com/claireasher13/","https://twitter.com/claireasher"]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#website","url":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/","name":"Curious Meerkat","description":"Evolution, Biotechnology, Medicine, Conservation, Genetics, Behaviour","publisher":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#/schema/person/dd3a99575861bba1e14b1c703cf47772"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg","contentUrl":"https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg","width":950,"height":600,"caption":"Featured image by NASA/CXC/M. Weiss."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#webpage","url":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/","name":"Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? | Curious Meerkat","isPartOf":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2020-05-04T08:17:00+00:00","dateModified":"2020-05-04T19:25:23+00:00","description":"When I was young, Pluto was still a planet and nine was my lucky number, so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system - it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto\u2019s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it. Astronomy, Black hole, Orbit, Physics, Pluto, Top Stories","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?"}]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#webpage"},"author":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#/schema/person/cc297ab4a8b3b4ef48bcd3a602cfa038"},"headline":"Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?","datePublished":"2020-05-04T08:17:00+00:00","dateModified":"2020-05-04T19:25:23+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#webpage"},"wordCount":1151,"commentCount":2,"publisher":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#/schema/person/dd3a99575861bba1e14b1c703cf47772"},"image":{"@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg","keywords":["Astronomy","Black hole","Orbit","Physics","Pluto","Top Stories"],"articleSection":["Guest Blog"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#/schema/person/cc297ab4a8b3b4ef48bcd3a602cfa038","name":"Sadie Jones","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5d4c052fe947941ed96527ef7ecbd18?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5d4c052fe947941ed96527ef7ecbd18?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sadie Jones"},"description":"Dr Sadie Jones is the Astronomy Public Engagement Leader and SEPnet Outreach Officer at the University of Southampton. She manages the Soton Astrodome mobile planetarium and leads on the #SotonAstroArt and Dark Energy projects.","sameAs":["https://astrosadie.com/","https://instagram.com/SotonAstrodome/","https://twitter.com/SotonAstrodome"],"url":"https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/author/sadiejones/"}]}</script>
69
70	<!-- / Yoast SEO plugin. -->
71
72
73<link rel='dns-prefetch' href='//s.w.org' />
74<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Curious Meerkat &raquo; Feed" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/feed/" />
75<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Curious Meerkat &raquo; Comments Feed" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/comments/feed/" />
76<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Curious Meerkat &raquo; Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? Comments Feed" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/feed/" />
77		
77<script type="text/javascript">
78			window._wpemojiSettings = {"baseUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.1.0\/72x72\/","ext":".png","svgUrl":"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.1.0\/svg\/","svgExt":".svg","source":{"concatemoji":"https:\/\/www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-emoji-release.min.js?ver=5.8.5"}};
79			!function(e,a,t){var n,r,o,i=a.createElement("canvas"),p=i.getContext&&i.getContext("2d");function s(e,t){var a=String.fromCharCode;p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,e),0,0);e=i.toDataURL();return p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,t),0,0),e===i.toDataURL()}function c(e){var t=a.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=t.type="text/javascript",a.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(t)}for(o=Array("flag","emoji"),t.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},r=0;r<o.length;r++)t.supports[o[r]]=function(e){if(!p||!p.fillText)return!1;switch(p.textBaseline="top",p.font="600 32px Arial",e){case"flag":return s([127987,65039,8205,9895,65039],[127987,65039,8203,9895,65039])?!1:!s([55356,56826,55356,56819],[55356,56826,8203,55356,56819])&&!s([55356,57332,56128,56423,56128,56418,56128,56421,56128,56430,56128,56423,56128,56447],[55356,57332,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56418,8203,56128,56421,8203,56128,56430,8203,56128,56423,8203,56128,56447]);case"emoji":return!s([10084,65039,8205,55357,56613],[10084,65039,8203,55357,56613])}return!1}(o[r]),t.supports.everything=t.supports.everything&&t.supports[o[r]],"flag"!==o[r]&&(t.supports.everythingExceptFlag=t.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&t.supports[o[r]]);t.supports.everythingExceptFlag=t.supports.everythingExceptFlag&&!t.supports.flag,t.DOMReady=!1,t.readyCallback=function(){t.DOMReady=!0},t.supports.everything||(n=function(){t.readyCallback()},a.addEventListener?(a.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",n,!1),e.addEventListener("load",n,!1)):(e.attachEvent("onload",n),a.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===a.readyState&&t.readyCallback()})),(n=t.source||{}).concatemoji?c(n.concatemoji):n.wpemoji&&n.twemoji&&(c(n.twemoji),c(n.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings);
80		</script>
80
81		<style type="text/css">
82img.wp-smiley,
83img.emoji {
84	display: inline !important;
85	border: none !important;
86	box-shadow: none !important;
87	height: 1em !important;
88	width: 1em !important;
89	margin: 0 .07em !important;
90	vertical-align: -0.1em !important;
91	background: none !important;
92	padding: 0 !important;
93}
94</style>
95	<link rel='stylesheet' id='flick-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/mailchimp//css/flick/flick.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
96<link rel='stylesheet' id='mailchimpSF_main_css-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/?mcsf_action=main_css&#038;ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
97<!--[if IE]>
98<link rel='stylesheet' id='mailchimpSF_ie_css-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/mailchimp/css/ie.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
99<![endif]-->
100<link rel='stylesheet' id='formidable-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/formidable/css/formidableforms.css?ver=11181826' type='text/css' media='all' />
101<link rel='stylesheet' id='sweetalert2-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/user-registration/assets/css/sweetalert2/sweetalert2.min.css?ver=10.16.7' type='text/css' media='all' />
102<link rel='stylesheet' id='user-registration-general-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/user-registration/assets/css/user-registration.css?ver=2.0.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
103<link rel='stylesheet' id='user-registration-smallscreen-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/user-registration/assets/css/user-registration-smallscreen.css?ver=2.0.5' type='text/css' media='only screen and (max-width: 768px)' />
104<link rel='stylesheet' id='user-registration-my-account-layout-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/user-registration/assets/css/my-account-layout.css?ver=2.0.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
105<link rel='stylesheet' id='dashicons-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/css/dashicons.min.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
106<link rel='stylesheet' id='wp-block-library-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/css/dist/block-library/style.min.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
107<link rel='stylesheet' id='front-authorbox-css-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/birds-author-box/public/css/authorbox_front.css' type='text/css' media='all' />
108<link rel='stylesheet' id='ssb-front-css-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/simple-social-buttons/assets/css/front.css?ver=3.2.4' type='text/css' media='all' />
109<link rel='stylesheet' id='Tippy-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/tippy/jquery.tippy.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
110<link rel='stylesheet' id='widgetopts-styles-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/widget-options/assets/css/widget-options.css' type='text/css' media='all' />
111<link rel='stylesheet' id='style-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/themes/cm/style.css?ver=5.8.5' type='text/css' media='all' />
112<link rel='stylesheet' id='twp-widget-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/tweet-wheel/assets/css/twp-widget.css?ver=1.1.6' type='text/css' media='all' />
113<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js?ver=3.6.0' id='jquery-core-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 113
113
114<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery-migrate.min.js?ver=3.3.2' id='jquery-migrate-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 114
114
115<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/mailchimp//js/scrollTo.js?ver=1.5.7' id='jquery_scrollto-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 115
115
116<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.form.min.js?ver=4.3.0' id='jquery-form-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 116
116
117<script type='text/javascript' id='mailchimpSF_main_js-js-extra'>
118/* <![CDATA[ */
119var mailchimpSF = {"ajax_url":"https:\/\/www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk\/"};
120/* ]]> */
121</script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 121
121
122<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/mailchimp//js/mailchimp.js?ver=1.5.7' id='mailchimpSF_main_js-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 122
122
123<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/ui/core.min.js?ver=1.12.1' id='jquery-ui-core-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 123
123
124<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/mailchimp//js/datepicker.js?ver=5.8.5' id='datepicker-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 124
124
125<script type='text/javascript' id='ssb-front-js-js-extra'>
126/* <![CDATA[ */
127var SSB = {"ajax_url":"https:\/\/www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","fb_share_nonce":"f53f6cbe64"};
128/* ]]> */
129</script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 129
129
130<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/simple-social-buttons/assets/js/front.js?ver=3.2.4' id='ssb-front-js-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 130
130
131<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/tippy/jquery.tippy.js?ver=6.0.0' id='Tippy-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 131
131
132<script type='text/javascript' id='twp-widget-js-extra'>
133/* <![CDATA[ */
134var twpwidget = {"ajaxurl":"https:\/\/www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"};
135/* ]]> */
136</script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 136
136
137<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/tweet-wheel/assets/js/twp-widget.js?ver=1.1.6' id='twp-widget-js'></script>
137
138<link rel="https://api.w.org/" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-json/" /><link rel="alternate" type="application/json" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/4572" /><link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/xmlrpc.php?rsd" />
139<link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml" /> 
140<meta name="generator" content="WordPress 5.8.5" />
141<link rel='shortlink' href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/?p=4572' />
142<link rel="alternate" type="application/json+oembed" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curiousmeerkat.co.uk%2Fguest-blog%2Fhas-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole%2F" />
143<link rel="alternate" type="text/xml+oembed" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-json/oembed/1.0/embed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curiousmeerkat.co.uk%2Fguest-blog%2Fhas-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole%2F&#038;format=xml" />
144<!-- Snippets by Add to All --><style>
145		#category-posts-4-internal ul {padding: 0;}
146#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item img {max-width: initial; max-height: initial; margin: initial;}
147#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-author {margin-bottom: 0;}
148#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail {margin: 5px 10px 5px 0;}
149#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item:before {content: ""; clear: both;}
150#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-excerpt-more {display: inline-block;}
151#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item {list-style: none; margin: 3px 0 10px; padding: 3px 0;}
152#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-current .cat-post-title {font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;}
153#category-posts-4-internal [class*=cat-post-tax] {font-size: 0.85em;}
154#category-posts-4-internal [class*=cat-post-tax] * {display:inline-block;}
155#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item:after {content: ""; display: table;	clear: both;}
156#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item .cat-post-title {overflow: hidden;text-overflow: ellipsis;white-space: initial;display: -webkit-box;-webkit-line-clamp: 2;-webkit-box-orient: vertical;padding-bottom: 0 !important;}
157#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item:after {content: ""; display: table;	clear: both;}
158#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail {display:block; float:left; margin:5px 10px 5px 0;}
159#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-crop {overflow:hidden;display:block;}
160#category-posts-4-internal p {margin:5px 0 0 0}
161#category-posts-4-internal li > div {margin:5px 0 0 0; clear:both;}
162#category-posts-4-internal .dashicons {vertical-align:middle;}
163#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail .cat-post-crop img {height: 200px;}
164#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail .cat-post-crop img {width: 300px;}
165#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail .cat-post-crop img {object-fit: cover; max-width: 100%; display: block;}
166#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail .cat-post-crop-not-supported img {width: 100%;}
167#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-thumbnail {max-width:100%;}
168#category-posts-4-internal .cat-post-item img {margin: initial;}
169</style>
170		
170<script type="text/javascript">
171        jQuery(function($) {
172            $('.date-pick').each(function() {
173                var format = $(this).data('format') || 'mm/dd/yyyy';
174                format = format.replace(/yyyy/i, 'yy');
175                $(this).datepicker({
176                    autoFocusNextInput: true,
177                    constrainInput: false,
178                    changeMonth: true,
179                    changeYear: true,
180                    beforeShow: function(input, inst) { $('#ui-datepicker-div').addClass('show'); },
181                    dateFormat: format.toLowerCase(),
182                });
183            });
184            d = new Date();
185            $('.birthdate-pick').each(function() {
186                var format = $(this).data('format') || 'mm/dd';
187                format = format.replace(/yyyy/i, 'yy');
188                $(this).datepicker({
189                    autoFocusNextInput: true,
190                    constrainInput: false,
191                    changeMonth: true,
192                    changeYear: false,
193                    minDate: new Date(d.getFullYear(), 1-1, 1),
194                    maxDate: new Date(d.getFullYear(), 12-1, 31),
195                    beforeShow: function(input, inst) { $('#ui-datepicker-div').removeClass('show'); },
196                    dateFormat: format.toLowerCase(),
197                });
198
199            });
200
201        });
202    </script>
202
203 <style media="screen">
204
205		 /*inline margin*/
206		.simplesocialbuttons.simplesocialbuttons_inline.simplesocial-sm-round button{
207	  margin: ;
208	}
209	
210	
211	
212	
213	
214	
215			 /*margin-digbar*/
216
217	
218	
219	
220	
221	
222	
223	
224</style>
225
226<!-- Open Graph Meta Tags generated by Simple Social Buttons 3.2.4 -->
227<meta property="og:title" content="Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? - Curious Meerkat" />
228<meta property="og:description" content="When I was young, Pluto was still a planet and nine was my lucky number, so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system - it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto’s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it." />
229<meta property="og:url" content="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" />
230<meta property="og:site_name" content="Curious Meerkat" />
231<meta property="og:image" content="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" />
232<meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
233<meta name="twitter:description" content="When I was young, Pluto was still a planet and nine was my lucky number, so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system - it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto’s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it." />
234<meta name="twitter:title" content="Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole? - Curious Meerkat" />
235<meta property="twitter:image" content="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" />
236
237            
237<script type="text/javascript">
238                jQuery(document).ready(function() {
239                    jQuery('.tippy').tippy({ position: "link", offsetx: 0, offsety: 10, closetext: "X", hidedelay: 700, showdelay: 100, calcpos: "parent", showspeed: 200, hidespeed: 200, showtitle: true, hoverpopup: true, draggable: true, dragheader: true, multitip: false, autoshow: false, showheader: true, showclose: true, htmlentities: false });
240                });
241            </script>
241
242            <style type="text/css">
243            .site-header img {
244            display: block;
245            margin: 1.5em auto 0;
246        }
247            .site-title,
248        .site-description {
249            position: absolute !important;
250            clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); /* IE6, IE7 */
251            clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);
252        }
253        .site-header hgroup {
254            background: none;
255            padding: 0;
256        }
257        </style>
258    		<style type="text/css" id="wp-custom-css">
259			/*
260You can add your own CSS here.
261
262Click the help icon above to learn more.
263*/
264
265
266img.attachment-yarpp-thumbnail.size-yarpp-thumbnail.wp-post-image {
267	display:none;
268}
269
270.logged-in .hideforusers {
271	display:none!important;
272}
273
274#categories ul li a {
275    color: #870f6c!important;
276    font-size: 12px;
277}
278
279#categories li {
280	border:none!important;
281	line-height: 10px!important;
282}
283
284#categories ul li span.post-count {
285    font-size: 10px;
286	  height: 10px!important;
287}
288
289#categories h2, #members-content h2, #recent-posts h2 {
290	padding:6px;
291	font-size:30px!important;
292	color:#0f2b87;
293	font-family:"Avenir light","Calibri","Trebuchet MS", Helvetica, sans-serif;
294	text-transform:none!important;
295	line-height:41px;
296	font-weight:bold;
297	margin-bottom:5px;
298}
299
300#categories ul, #recent-posts ul, #members-content ul{
301list-style: none !important;
302margin-left: 0 !important;
303padding-left: 0 !important;
304}
305
306#categories li, #recent-posts li, #members-content li {
307border-bottom:none!important;
308margin-bottom: 5px;
309padding-bottom: 6px;
310list-style-type: none;
311}
312
313#categories a, #recent-posts a, #members-content a {
314display: inline !important;
315text-decoration: none;
316}
317
318.rpwe-thumb{
319box-shadow: none !important;
320margin: 2px 10px 2px 0;
321padding: 3px !important;
322}
323
324.rpwe-block h3 {
325	font-size:14px!important;
326	line-height:1.1em;
327}
328
329.rpwe-summary{
330font-size: 12px;
331}
332
333.rpwe-time{
334color: #bbb;
335font-size: 11px;
336}
337
338.rpwe-comment{
339color: #bbb;
340font-size: 11px;
341padding-left: 5px;
342}
343
344.rpwe-alignleft{
345display: inline;
346float: left;
347}
348
349.rpwe-alignright{
350display: inline;
351float: right;
352}
353
354.rpwe-aligncenter{
355display: block;
356margin-left: auto;
357margin-right: auto;
358}
359
360.rpwe-clearfix:before,
361.rpwe-clearfix:after{
362content: "";
363display: table !important;
364}
365
366.rpwe-clearfix:after{
367clear: both;
368}
369
370#member-content {
371	height:250px;
372}
373
374#member-content a {
375	font-size: 14px;
376	text-decoration: none;
377	font-weight: bold;
378}
379
380#categories a {
381	font-size: 13px;
382	text-decoration: none;
383	font-weight: bold;
384}
385
386\\ Login Form
387
388#loginform {
389    width: 50%!important;
390    margin-left: 25%!important;
391    text-align: center!important;
392}
393
394\\ Recommendations
395.recommendations div.dfad {
396    width: 120px;
397    padding: 20px;
398    clear: none;
399    display: inline-block;
400    float: left;
401}
402
403.series {
404	background-color: #870f6c;
405	padding:15px;
406	margin: 5px 5px 15px 5px;
407	border: 2px solid black;
408	color: #ffffff;
409}
410
411.series a, a:visited {
412	color: #ffffff;
413}		</style>
414		</head>
415 
416<body class="post-template-default single single-post postid-4572 single-format-standard user-registration-page group-blog">
417     
418<div id="page" class="hfeed site">
419     <header id="masthead" class="site-header" role="banner">
420         <hgroup>
421              <h1 class="site-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/" title="Curious Meerkat" rel="home">Curious Meerkat</a></h1>
422     <h2 class="site-description">Evolution, Biotechnology, Medicine, Conservation, Genetics, Behaviour</h2>
423         </hgroup>
424         
425                     <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/" title="Curious Meerkat" rel="home">
426                <img src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Banner_white_blank-e1454784314149.jpg" width="1200" height="294" alt="" />
427            </a>
428         <nav role="navigation" class="site-navigation main-navigation">
429            <h1 class="assistive-text">Menu</h1>
430             <div class="assistive-text skip-link"><a href="#content" title="Skip to content">Skip to content</a></div>
431             <div id="main-menu">
432                    <form method="get" id="searchform" action="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/" role="search">
433        <label for="s" class="assistive-text">Search</label>
434        <input type="text" class="field" name="s" value="" id="s" placeholder="Search &hellip;" />
435        <input type="submit" class="submit" name="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search" />
436    </form><div class="menu-main-menu-container"><ul id="menu-main-menu" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-19" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-home menu-item-19"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk">Home</a></li>
437<li id="menu-item-20" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-20"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/about/">About</a>
438<ul class="sub-menu">
439	<li id="menu-item-460" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-460"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/contact/">Contact</a></li>
440</ul>
441</li>
442<li id="menu-item-463" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-home menu-item-has-children menu-item-463"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/">Articles</a>
443<ul class="sub-menu">
444	<li id="menu-item-563" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-563"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/series/">Series</a></li>
445	<li id="menu-item-462" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-462"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/indepth/">In-Depth</a></li>
446	<li id="menu-item-3290" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-3290"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/debunking/">Debunking</a></li>
447	<li id="menu-item-461" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-461"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/recent-research/">Recent Research</a></li>
448	<li id="menu-item-1444" class="menu-item menu-item-type-taxonomy menu-item-object-category menu-item-1444"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/short/">Short</a></li>
449	<li id="menu-item-582" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-582"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/questions/">Questions Answered</a></li>
450</ul>
451</li>
452<li id="menu-item-23" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-23"><a>Biology</a>
453<ul class="sub-menu">
454	<li id="menu-item-1296" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1296"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/evolution">Evolution</a></li>
455	<li id="menu-item-455" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-455"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/genetics/">Genetics</a></li>
456	<li id="menu-item-456" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-456"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/behaviour/">Animal Behaviour</a></li>
457	<li id="menu-item-21" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-21"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/neuroscience/">Neuroscience</a></li>
458</ul>
459</li>
460<li id="menu-item-1297" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-1297"><a>Environment</a>
461<ul class="sub-menu">
462	<li id="menu-item-22" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-22"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/conservation/">Conservation</a></li>
463	<li id="menu-item-772" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-772"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/sustainability/">Sustainable Future</a></li>
464	<li id="menu-item-1298" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1298"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/extinction">Extinction</a></li>
465	<li id="menu-item-1299" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1299"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/climate">Climate</a></li>
466</ul>
467</li>
468<li id="menu-item-1300" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-1300"><a>Health</a>
469<ul class="sub-menu">
470	<li id="menu-item-25" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-25"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/medicine/">Medicine</a></li>
471	<li id="menu-item-24" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-24"><a href="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/biotechnology">Biotechnology</a></li>
472</ul>
473</li>
474<li id="menu-item-1443" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-1443"><a>Get More</a>
475<ul class="sub-menu">
476	<li id="menu-item-3480" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-3480"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/ask-a-question/">Ask a Question</a></li>
477	<li id="menu-item-1447" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1447"><a href="http://eepurl.com/2HVvD">Sign up to the Newsletter</a></li>
478	<li id="menu-item-1628" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1628"><a href="http://www.patreon.com/user?u=457033">Become a Patreon</a></li>
479	<li id="menu-item-3423" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-3423"><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/CuriousMeerkat/shop">Merchandise</a></li>
480	<li id="menu-item-1627" class="menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1627"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CuriosityCreative">Wildlife Prints &#038; Gifts</a></li>
481</ul>
482</li>
483<li id="menu-item-3675" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-3675"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/members-only/members-h
483ome/">Members</a>
484<ul class="sub-menu">
485	<li id="menu-item-4326" class="nmr-logged-in nmr-logged-out menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4326"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/members-only/member-login/">Login</a></li>
486	<li id="menu-item-4308" class="menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-4308"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/members-only/members-home/">Member Content</a></li>
487</ul>
488</li>
489</ul></div>             </div>
490         </nav><!-- .site-navigation .main-navigation -->
491     </header><!-- #masthead .site-header -->
492<div id="main" class="site-main"> 
493        <div id="primary" class="content-area">
494            <div id="content" class="site-content" role="main">
495 
496              
497                 
498<article id="post-4572" class="post-4572 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-guest-blog tag-astronomy tag-black-hole tag-orbit tag-physics tag-pluto tag-top-stories">
499    <header class="entry-header">
500	<div class="featuredimg">
501                <img width="950" height="600" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="" loading="lazy" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg 950w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001-300x189.jpg 300w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001-768x485.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px" />            </div><!--- .post-thumbnail -->
502        <h1 class="entry-title">Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?</h1>
503 
504        <div class="entry-meta" id="postdate">
505            4 May, 2020 <span class="byline">by <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/author/sadiejones/" title="View all posts by Sadie Jones" rel="author">Sadie Jones</a></span></span>        </div><!-- .entry-meta -->
506    </header><!-- .entry-header -->
507 
508    <div class="entry-content">
509        <style>ul.author_box_tabs_content li {
510clear: both;
511}</style><div id="fsb-social-bar" class="fsb-social-bar" data-post-id="4572" data-socialite="true"><style type="text/css">            #fsb-social-bar { width: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #dbdbdb; border-top: 1px solid #dbdbdb; padding: 10px 0; margin: 0px 0 20px 0; float: left; background: #fff; position: relative; clear: both; }            #fsb-social-bar a { border: 0px !important }            #fsb-social-bar.fsb-fixed { position: fixed; top: -2px; z-index: 99999; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-title { display: block; float: left; margin: 3px 20px 0 0; font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-facebook { width: 120px; float: left; padding: 3px 0 2px; height: 25px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-facebook.fsb-hide-count { width: 44px; overflow: hidden; margin-right: 30px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-twitter { float: left; width: 135px; padding: 3px 0 2px; height: 25px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-twitter.fsb-hide-count { width: 61px; overflow: hidden; margin-right: 30px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-google { float: left; width: 105px; padding: 3px 0 2px; height: 25px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-google.fsb-hide-count { width: 33px; overflow: hidden; margin-right: 30px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-linkedin { float: left; width: 135px; padding: 3px 0 2px; height: 25px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-linkedin.fsb-hide-count { width: 61px; overflow: hidden; margin-right: 30px; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-pinterest { float: left; width: 115px; padding: 3px 0 2px; height: 25px;}            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-pinterest.fsb-hide-count { width: 43px; overflow: hidden; margin-right: 30px; }            #fsb-social-bar .socialite { display: block; position: relative; background: url(https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/floating-social-bar/images/fsb-sprite.png) no-repeat scroll 0 0; }            #fsb-social-bar .socialite-loaded { background: none !important; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-service-title { display: none; }            #fsb-social-bar a { color: #333; text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-twitter { width: 105px; height: 25px; background-position: -13px -10px; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: middle; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-twitter .fsb-count { width: 30px; text-align: center; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0 0 69px; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-google { width: 75px; height: 25px; background-position: -136px -10px; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: middle; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-google .fsb-count { width: 30px; text-align: center; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0 0 41px; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-google .socialite-button { margin: 0 !important; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-google .socialite-loaded .socialite-button{padding: 2px 0 0}            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-facebook { width: 89px; height: 25px; background-position: -231px -10px; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: middle; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-facebook .fsb-count { width: 30px; text-align: center; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0 0 52px; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-facebook .socialite-button { margin: 0 !important;}            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-share-facebook .socialite-loaded .socialite-button {padding: 2px 0 0}            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-linkedin { width: 105px; height: 25px;
511 background-position: -347px -10px; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: middle; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-linkedin .fsb-count { width: 30px; text-align: center; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0 0 70px; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-linkedin .socialite-button { margin: 0 !important; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-pinterest { width: 88px; height: 25px; background-position: -484px -10px; line-height: 25px; vertical-align: middle; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-pinterest .fsb-count { width: 30px; text-align: center; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0 0 50px; color: #333; }            #fsb-social-bar .fsb-pinterest .socialite-button { margin: 0 !important; }            .fsb-clear { clear: both; }            .fsb-clear:after { clear:both; content:; display:block; height:0; line-height:0; overflow:auto; visibility:hidden; zoom:1; }            @media (max-width: 768px) { #fsb-social-bar.fsb-fixed { position: relative !important; top: auto !important; } }        </style><span class="fsb-title">Share this post</span><div class="fsb-share-facebook fsb-hide-count"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" class="socialite facebook fsb-facebook" data-fsb-service="facebook" data-href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" data-send="false" data-layout="button_count" data-width="60" data-show-faces="false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="fsb-service-title">Facebook</span><span class="fsb-count">0</span></a></div><div class="fsb-share-twitter fsb-hide-count"><a href="https://twitter.com/share?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curiousmeerkat.co.uk%2F&source=tweetbutton&text=Has+Pluto+been+replaced+by+a+primordial+black+hole%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curiousmeerkat.co.uk%2Fguest-blog%2Fhas-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole%2F&via=ACuriousMeerkat" class="socialite twitter fsb-twitter" data-fsb-service="twitter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Be the first one to tweet this article!"><span class="fsb-service-title">Twitter</span><span class="fsb-count">0</span></a></div><div class="fsb-share-google fsb-hide-count"><a href="https://plus.google.com/share?url=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" class="socialite googleplus fsb-google" data-fsb-service="google" data-size="medium" data-href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="fsb-service-title">Google+</span><span class="fsb-count">0</span></a></div><div class="fsb-share-pinterest fsb-hide-count"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/&description=Has+Pluto+been+replaced+by+a+primordial+black+hole%3F&media=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" class="socialite pinit fsb-pinterest" data-fsb-service="pinterest" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span class="fsb-service-title">Pinterest</span><span class="fsb-count">0</span></a></div><div class="fsb-share-linkedin fsb-hide-count"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" class="socialite linkedin fsb-linkedin" data-fsb-service="linkedin" data-size="medium" data-href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="fsb-service-title">LinkedIn</span><span class="fsb-count">0</span></a></div></div><div class="fsb-clear"></div>
512<p>When I was young, Pluto was still classed as a planet and nine was my lucky number; so I really liked that we had nine planets in our solar system &#8211; it made it easy for me to remember. My love of astronomy out-lasted Pluto’s status as a planet, and as I write this I am actually wearing a solar system necklace; each planet is represented, yet it only has eight planets on it. </p>
513
514
515
516<p>I miss Pluto. I feel the loss
517especially when the children I do outreach with in schools ask me ‘Where has
518Pluto gone? What happened to it?’, the children seem to think the International
519Astronomical Union (IAU) actually forced it out of the solar system physically
520rather than just downgrading it in name to a ‘dwarf planet’ in 2006. </p>
521
522
523
524<p>So when I saw a new research paper<sup>1</sup> uploaded online that was called ‘<a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1909.11090.pdf">What if Planet 9 is a Primordial Black Hole?</a>’, my interest was piqued. At the time I didn’t know that there was a theorised ‘Planet 9’ at all. And my only knowledge of primordial black holes is that the newsp
524apers said the Large Hadron Collider would create them on Earth when they turned it on back in 2008 (thankfully it did not!)</p>
525
526
527
528<p>It turns out ‘Planet
5299’ has been theorised since 1906, but back then Percival Lowell who was looking
530for it called it ‘Planet X’. It is thought to have an elliptical orbit and at
531the furthest point of it’s orbit it is 13-26 times further away than Neptune is
532from the Sun. This planet, although never observed, would explain the strange orbits
533of minor planets in our solar system beyond Neptune, like Pluto, Eris, Makemake
534and Sedna. </p>
535
536
537
538<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="950" height="596" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_002-950x596.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4573" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_002-950x596.png 950w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_002-300x188.png 300w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_002-768x482.png 768w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_002.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px" /><figcaption><br> The orbit of hypothetical planet Nine shown with orbits of other trans-Neptunian objects. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Planet_Nine_Orbit.svg">Image</a> by MagentaGreen is in the public domain.</figcaption></figure>
539
540
541
542<p>As the ‘Astronomy Public
543Engagement Leader’ at the University of Southampton, part of my role is to talk
544about my own research into Supermassive Black Holes, and talk about how we
545detect them by looking for the electromagnetic radiation that is detected from
546material near the edge of the black hole. Luckily, the idea of black holes and
547the weird goings-on near their event horizon really excites peoples’
548imagination. </p>
549
550
551
552<p>I love talking to people
553about black holes, but one of the most popular questions I get asked is ‘where
554is the nearest black hole to us?’ and I always feel bad saying ‘We don’t know’.
555The problem is that as well as the supermassive sized black holes there are
556actually many smaller, stellar-sized black holes dotted about inside our
557galaxy, but unless they are ripping material from nearby stars they don’t give
558off any radiation that we can detect, so we just don’t know they’re there.</p>
559
560
561
562<p>Despite being difficult to detect, we know that Black holes exist, it has been scientifically proven. Nothing else in Physics can describe what we observe. For example, there are 6 stars orbiting the centre of our very own Milky Way galaxy and you can see these with powerful telescopes such as the <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0502129">Keck Telescope</a><sup>2</sup>. However, the central object these stars are orbiting around cannot be detected; it is invisible. Astronomers can measure the speed of each of the stars and, using Newton’s Laws of Universal Gravitation, they can calculate that this central, invisible mass, must be at least 4 million times more massive than the Sun. There is nothing in Physics that can be this massive and not emit any radiation, nothing except a black hole! So they simply must exist. </p>
563
564
565
566<p>The fact that there is a supermassive
567black hole that exists at the centres of all galaxies is quite an intuitive
568concept. You just need to look at a photo of our nearest neighbour galaxy &#8211; the
569Andromeda galaxy &#8211; or any other spiral galaxy that takes your fancy, and it is
570easy to imagine the billions of stars all swirling around the black hole at the
571centre. </p>
572
573
574
575<p>But &#8211; returning to our own solar system, and the theoretical planet 9&nbsp;&#8211; &nbsp;what is a primordial black hole (PBH) and what would that look like? And how can there be one of these in our solar system that we have never detected?  </p>
576
577
578
579<p> The word ‘primordial’ means something that has existed since the beginning of time, therefore these ‘primordial black holes’, if they exist &#8211; they are still only a theory at the moment &#8211; have been around since the Big Bang, at the beginning of our Universe. </p>
580
581
582
583<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="950" height="600" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4574" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001.jpg 950w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001-300x189.jpg 300w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PrimordialBlackHole_001-768x485.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 950px) 100v
583w, 950px" /><figcaption>Artist’s Impression of Black Hole. <br><a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2019/01/Artist_s_impression_of_black_hole">Image</a> by NASA/CXC/M. Weiss via ESA</figcaption></figure>
584
585
586
587<p>In order to create a black
588hole all you need is an area of space with such a high density of matter that
589it collapses in on itself. In the early Universe there were many regions where
590the density was higher and these black holes could have formed. Unlike stellar-sized
591black holes, primordial black holes are not thought to have been created by a
592collapsing star, because they are so old they predate the existence of stars
593themselves. </p>
594
595
596
597<p class="has-text-align-left">Stephen Hawking theorised that these primordial black holes could range from as small as 0.000000008 kg, the same mass as an eyelash, to several thousand times the mass of our Sun &#8211; as high as 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (10<sup>30</sup>) kg. </p>
598
599
600
601<p>In the paper<sup>1</sup> that originally sparked my curiosity, they conclude that a primordial black hole that is 5 Earth masses (3 x 10<sup>25</sup>kg) could explain the anomalous orbits of the minor planets beyond the orbit of Neptune, and that this primordial black hole would have a diameter of 9cm. </p>
602
603
604
605<p>It turns out this PBH hypothesis is just one of the many possible explanations for what ‘Planet 9’ might be. Alternative ideas are that it’s just an extremely distant, massive planet that we are yet to directly observe, or that it doesn’t exist at all, and the strange orbits of the minor planets beyond Neptune can be explained by a clump of icy rocks<sup>3</sup>. </p>
606
607
608
609<p>Whatever it is, the fact remains that astronomers have been trying to detect Planet 9 since 2014&nbsp;when it was first hypothesised and they still haven’t been able to detect it now (in 2020). As more time goes on with no direct observation of this illusive planet and no detection of any radiation from that region, the more likely it seems that there could indeed be an invisible, primordial black hole lurking in our very own Solar System. </p>
610
611
612
613<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>
614
615
616
617<h4>Want to know more?</h4>
618
619
620
621<ol><li>Scholtz, J., &amp; Unwin, J. (2019). <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1909.11090.pdf">What if Planet 9 is a Primordial Black Hole?</a>.&nbsp;<em>arXiv preprint arXiv:1909.11090</em>. </li><li>Eisenhauer, F., Genzel, R., Alexander, T., Abuter, R., Paumard, T., Ott, T., &#8230; &amp; Bonnet, H. (2005). <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0502129">SINFONI in the galactic center: young stars and infrared flares in the central light-month</a>.&nbsp;<em>The Astrophysical Journal</em>,&nbsp;<em>628</em>(1), 246. </li><li>Sefilian, Antranik A., and Jihad R. Touma. &#8220;<a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1804.06859.pdf">Shepherding in a self-gravitating disk of trans-neptunian objects</a>.&#8221;&nbsp;<em>The Astronomical Journal</em>&nbsp;157.2 (2019): 59.</li></ol>
622<style>img.birds_box_avatar {padding: 5px;background-color: #fff;border: 1px solid #ddd;}</style>
623                <div class="author_box_tabs">
624                    <nav>
625                        <ul class="author_box_tabs_navigation">
626            
627                            <li id="bio"><a data-content="bio" class="selected icon-ab-graduation-cap" href="#0">&nbsp;&nbsp;Bio</a></li>
628            
629                            <li id="social"><a data-content="social" class="icon-ab-globe" href="#0">&nbsp;&nbsp;Social</a></li>
630            
631                                <li id="lposts"><a data-content="lposts" class="icon-ab-paper-plane" href="#0">&nbsp;&nbsp;Latest Posts</a></li>
632                
633                        </ul> <!-- author_box_tabs_navigation -->
634                    </nav>
635
636                    <ul class="author_box_tabs_content">
637                        <li data-content="bio" class="selected">
638            <img alt="author's avatar" class="birds_box_avatar" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sadieTenerife2016.jpg">
639                            <p><span class="by_text">By:</span> <span class="h4_text">Sadie Jones</span></p><p>Dr Sadie Jones is the Astronomy Public Engagement Leader and SEPnet Outreach Officer at the University of Southampton. She manages the Soton Astrodome mobile planetarium and leads on the #SotonAstroArt and Dark Energy projects.
640                </p>
641                        </li>
642            
643                        <li data-content="social">
644            <img alt="author's avatar" class="birds_box_avatar" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sadieTenerife2016.jpg"><p><a class="box_links" href="https://astrosadie.com/" target="_blank">Visit the author&#8217;s website</a><br /><br /><a class="social_icon" href="http://www.twitter.com/SotonAstrodome" target="_blank"><img alt="twitter" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/birds-author-box/public/icons/line/twitter.png"></a> <a class="social_icon" href="http://www.facebook.com/SotonAstrodome" target="_blank"><img alt="facebook" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/birds-author-box/public/icons/line/facebook.png"></a> <a class="social_icon" href="https://instagram.com/SotonAstrodome/" target="_blank"><img alt="instagram" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/birds-author-box/public/icons/line/instagram.png"></a> 
645                        <li data-content="lposts">
646            <img alt="author's avatar" class="birds_box_avatar" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sadieTenerife2016.jpg"><p><br /><a class="box_links" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/author/sadiejones/">See all this author&#8217;s posts</a></p>
647                    </ul> <!-- author_box_tabs_content -->
648                </div> <!-- author_box_tabs -->
649            <div class="simplesocialbuttons simplesocial-sm-round simplesocialbuttons_inline simplesocialbuttons-align-left post-4572 post  simplesocialbuttons-inline-no-animation">
650<button class="simplesocial-fb-share" target="_blank" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;"><span class="simplesocialtxt">Facebook </span> </button>
651<button class="simplesocial-twt-share" data-href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Has+Pluto+been+replaced+by+a+primordial+black+hole%3F&url=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;"><span class="simplesocialtxt">Twitter</span> </button>
652<button target="popup" class="simplesocial-linkedin-share" data-href="https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" onclick="javascript:window.open(this.dataset.href, '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;"><span class="simplesocialtxt">LinkedIn</span></button>
653</div>
654<div class="newsletter hideforusers" style="clear:both;display:inline-block;width:600px;padding-left:175px;padding-right:175px;"><p><a href="http://eepurl.com/2HVvD"><img src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Newletterhorizontalbanner16.jpg" alt="Newletterhorizontalbanner" width="600" height="140" class="alignright size-full wp-image-1200" /></a></p></div>
655
656<div class="hideforusers" style="display:inline-block;float:right;margin-bottom:5px;"><a href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=457033" data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button">Become a Patron!</a>
656<script async src="https://c6.patreon.com/becomePatronButton.bundle.js"></script>
656</div>
657
658<div class="hideforusers" style="display:inline-block;float:left;">
658<script type="text/javascript" src="https://widget.bloglovin.com/widget/scripts/bl.js"></script>
658<a class="bloglovin-widget" data-blog-id="13045433" data-img-src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=13045433" href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13045433" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=13045433"></a></div>                <p>Featured image by NASA/CXC/M. Weiss.</p>
659    </div><!-- .entry-content -->
660 
661    <footer class="entry-meta">
662        <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/guest-blog/" rel="category tag">Guest Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/astronomy/" rel="tag">Astronomy</a>, <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/black-hole/" rel="tag">Black hole</a>, <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/orbit/" rel="tag">Orbit</a>, <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/physics/" rel="tag">Physics</a>, <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/pluto/" rel="tag">Pluto</a> | Bookmark the <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" title="Permalink to Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?" rel="bookmark">permalink</a>. 
663            </footer><!-- .entry-meta -->
664</article><!-- #post-4572 --> 
665                 
666 
667    <div id="comments" class="comments-area">
668 
669     
670            <h2 class="comments-title">
671            2 comments on &ldquo;<span>Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?</span>&rdquo;        </h2>
672 
673         
674        <ol class="commentlist">
675                <li class="comment even thread-even depth-1" id="li-comment-142914">
676        <article id="comment-142914" class="comment">
677            <footer>
678                <div class="comment-author vcard">
679                    <img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4272e32c720610922a13a02c027f4c39?s=40&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4272e32c720610922a13a02c027f4c39?s=80&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-40 photo' height='40' width='40' loading='lazy'/>                    <cite class="fn"><a href='http://Nil' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Sunil Wimalasuriya</a></cite> <span class="says">says:</span>                </div><!-- .comment-author .vcard -->
680                 
681                <div class="comment-meta commentmetadata">
682                    <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#comment-142914"><time pubdate datetime="2020-08-28T06:16:28+01:00">
683                    28 August, 2020 at 6:16 AM                    </time></a>
684                                    </div><!-- .comment-meta .commentmetadata -->
685            </footer>
686 
687            <div class="comment-content"><p>If there is an invisible PBH would it be moving or staying in one place with respect to the sun ?</p>
688</div>
689 
690            <div class="reply">
691                <a rel='nofollow' class='comment-reply-link' href='#comment-142914' data-commentid="142914" data-postid="4572" data-belowelement="comment-142914" data-respondelement="respond" data-replyto="Reply to Sunil Wimalasuriya" aria-label='Reply to Sunil Wimalasuriya'>Reply</a>            </div><!-- .reply -->
692        </article><!-- #comment-## -->
693 
694    </li><!-- #comment-## -->
695    <li class="comment odd alt thread-odd thread-alt depth-1" id="li-comment-144954">
696        <article id="comment-144954" class="comment">
697            <footer>
698                <div class="comment-author vcard">
699                    <img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5d4c052fe947941ed96527ef7ecbd18?s=40&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5d4c052fe947941ed96527ef7ecbd18?s=80&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-40 photo' height='40' width='40' loading='lazy'/>                    <cite class="fn">Sadie Jones</cite> <span class="says">says:</span>                </div><!-- .comment-author .vcard -->
700                 
701                <div class="comment-meta commentmetadata">
702                    <a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#comment-144954"><time pubdate datetime="2020-11-30T11:48:20+01:00">
703                    30 November, 2020 at 11:48 AM                    </time></a>
704                                    </div><!-- .comment-meta .commentmetadata -->
705            </footer>
706 
707            <div class="comment-content"><p>Black holes act like any other object that has mass..so if there was a small PBH it would be influenced by the gravity of other objects around it, depending on their mass&#8230;so the PBH would feel the gravity of nearby Neptune and even the Sun that is much further away, but much more massive. So it would be moving with respect to the Sun.</p>
708</div>
709 
710            <div class="reply">
711                <a rel='nofollow' class='comment-reply-link' href='#comment-144954' data-commentid="144954" data-postid="4572" data-belowelement="comment-144954" data-respondelement="respond" data-replyto="Reply to Sadie Jones" aria-label='Reply to Sadie Jones'>Reply</a>            </div><!-- .reply -->
712        </article><!-- #comment-## -->
713 
714    </li><!-- #comment-## -->
715        </ol><!-- .commentlist -->
716 
717         
718     
719     
720    	<div id="respond" class="comment-respond">
721		<h3 id="reply-title" class="comment-reply-title">Leave a Reply <small><a rel="nofollow" id="cancel-comment-reply-link" href="/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/#respond" style="display:none;">Cancel reply</a></small></h3><form action="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-comments-post.php" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form"><p class="comment-notes"><span id="email-notes">Your email address will not be published.</span> Required fields are marked <span class="required">*</span></p><p class="comment-form-comment"><label for="comment">Comment</label> <textarea id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="65525" required="required"></textarea></p><p class="comment-form-author"><label for="author">Name <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="245" required='required' /></p>
722<p class="comment-form-email"><label for="email">Email <span class="required">*</span></label> <input id="email" name="email" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="100" aria-describedby="email-notes" required='required' /></p>
723<p class="comment-form-url"><label for="url">Website</label> <input id="url" name="url" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="200" /></p>
724<p class="form-submit"><input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" value="Post Comment" /> <input type='hidden' name='comment_post_ID' value='4572' id='comment_post_ID' />
725<input type='hidden' name='comment_parent' id='comment_parent' value='0' />
726</p><p style="display: none;"><input type="hidden" id="akismet_comment_nonce" name="akismet_comment_nonce" value="5c10ad7da3" /></p><p style="display: none !important;"><label>&#916;<textarea name="ak_hp_textarea" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="100"></textarea></label><input type="hidden" id="ak_js" name="ak_js" value="243"/>
726<script>document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );</script>
726</p></form>	</div><!-- #respond -->
727	<p class="akismet_comment_form_privacy_notice">This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. <a href="https://akismet.com/privacy/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Learn how your comment data is processed</a>.</p> 
728</div><!-- #comments .comments-area --> 
729             
730            </div><!-- #content .site-content -->
731        </div><!-- #primary .content-area -->
732 
733
734        <div id="tertiary" class="widget-area" role="supplementary">
735	<aside id="yarpp_widget-2" class="widget widget_yarpp_widget"><div class='yarpp yarpp-related yarpp-related-widget yarpp-template-thumbnails'>
736<!-- YARPP Thumbnails -->
737<h3>You might also like...</h3>
738<div class="yarpp-thumbnails-horizontal">
739<a class='yarpp-thumbnail' rel='norewrite' href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/why-are-we-so-obsessed-with-ivory/' title='Why Are We So Obsessed With Ivory?'>
740<span class="yarpp-thumbnail-default"><img src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Editorial.jpg" alt="Default Thumbnail" data-pin-nopin="true" /></span><span class="yarpp-thumbnail-title">Why Are We So Obsessed With Ivory?</span></a>
741<a class='yarpp-thumbnail' rel='norewrite' href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/can-we-develop-technology-to-break-down-microplastics/' title='Can We Develop Technology to Break Down Microplastics?'>
742<img width="200" height="133" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/john-cameron-723866-unsplash-200x133.jpg" class="attachment-yarp
742p-thumbnail size-yarpp-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" loading="lazy" data-pin-nopin="true" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/john-cameron-723866-unsplash-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/john-cameron-723866-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /><span class="yarpp-thumbnail-title">Can We Develop Technology to Break Down Microplastics?</span></a>
743<a class='yarpp-thumbnail' rel='norewrite' href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/genetically-modified-myths-examined/' title='Genetically Modified Myths Examined'>
744<img width="200" height="133" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GMOMyths_001-200x133.png" class="attachment-yarpp-thumbnail size-yarpp-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" loading="lazy" data-pin-nopin="true" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GMOMyths_001-200x133.png 200w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GMOMyths_001-300x200.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /><span class="yarpp-thumbnail-title">Genetically Modified Myths Examined</span></a>
745<a class='yarpp-thumbnail' rel='norewrite' href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/recent-research/spring-advances-unevenly-across-migratory-birds-routes/' title='Warming Climate Spells Chaos for Seasonal Bird Migrations'>
746<img width="200" height="133" src="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/BirdMigration_001-e1556409074414-200x133.jpeg" class="attachment-yarp
746p-thumbnail size-yarpp-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" loading="lazy" data-pin-nopin="true" srcset="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/BirdMigration_001-e1556409074414-200x133.jpeg 200w, https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/BirdMigration_001-e1556409074414-300x200.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /><span class="yarpp-thumbnail-title">Warming Climate Spells Chaos for Seasonal Bird Migrations</span></a>
747</div>
748</div>
749</aside><aside id="text-11" class="widget widget_text"><h1 class="widget-title">Curious Meerkat on Twitter</h1>			<div class="textwidget"><a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/ACuriousMeerkat" data-widget-id="513130697343504384">Tweets by @ACuriousMeerkat</a>
750<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script>
750</div>
751		</aside><aside id="text-12" class="widget widget_text">			<div class="textwidget"><div><div class="dfad dfad_pos_1 dfad_first" id="_ad_3299"><div class="hideforusers">
752<p>
753<a href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=457033" data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button">Become a Patron!</a>
753<script async src="https://c6.patreon.com/becomePatronButton.bundle.js"></script>
753</p></div></div></div>
754</div>
755		</aside>    </div><!-- #tertiary .widget-area -->
756
757        <div id="tertiary2" class="widget-area" role="supplementary">
758        <aside id="custom_html-2" class="widget_text widget widget_custom_html"><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget"><div class="banner"><div class="dfad dfad_pos_1 dfad_first" id="_ad_4521"><a target="_blank" href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=900970&amp;u=997977&amp;m=45652&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://static.shareasale.com/image/45652/45dayNeen_180x150.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></aside><aside id="custom_html-3" class="widget_text widget widget_custom_html"><h1 class="widget-title">Great Books</h1><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget"><div id="ad"><div class="dfad dfad_pos_1 dfad_first" id="ad_ad_1215"><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=curiomeerk-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=0674416848&asins=0674416848&linkId=711a24f68d6ba1992bb85b2222a18aa7&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe></div><div class="dfad dfad_pos_2" id="ad_ad_864"><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=curiomeerk-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=1784161853&asins=1784161853&linkId=c46a3e9301729ed4776d3b4b75e69f6b&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe></div><div class="dfad dfad_pos_3 dfad_last" id="ad_ad_1221"><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=curiomeerk-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=0552152188&asins=0552152188&linkId=f609cc8d1ea2cfa6b6e3bab006a87747&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe></div></div></div></aside>    </div><!-- #tertiary2 .widget-area -->
759
760    <div id="secondary" class="widget-area" role="complementary">
761                <aside id="recent-posts" class="widget rpwe_widget recent-posts-extended"><h1 class="widget-title">Recent Posts</h1><div  class="rpwe-block "><ul class="rpwe-ul"><li class="rpwe-li rpwe-clearfix"><h3 class="rpwe-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/has-pluto-been-replaced-by-a-primordial-black-hole/" title="Permalink to Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?" rel="bookmark">Has Pluto been replaced by a primordial black hole?</a></h3></li><li class="rpwe-li rpwe-clearfix"><h3 class="rpwe-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/short/the-search-for-unintelligent-life/" title="Permalink to The Search For Unintelligent Life" rel="bookmark">The Search For Unintelligent Life</a></h3></li><li class="rpwe-li rpwe-clearfix"><h3 class="rpwe-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/short/why-does-the-green-movement-hate-gm/" title="Permalink to Why does the green movement hate GM?" rel="bookmark">Why does the green movement hate GM?</a></h3></li><li class="rpwe-li rpwe-clearfix"><h3 class="rpwe-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/guest-blog/genetically-modified-myths-examined/" title="Permalink to Genetically Modified Myths Examined" rel="bookmark">Genetically Modified Myths Examined</a></h3></li><li class="rpwe-li rpwe-clearfix"><h3 class="rpwe-title"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/indepth/how-do-we-know-humans-are-causing-climate-change/" title="Permalink to How do we know humans are causing climate change?" rel="bookmark">How do we know humans are causing climate change?</a></h3></li></ul></div><!-- Generated by http://wordpress.org/plugins/recent-posts-widget-extended/ --></aside><aside id="categories" class="widget widget_wpcategorieswidget"><ul class="wpcategorieswidget-3"><li class="categories"><h2 class="widget-title">Categories</h2><ul>	<li class="cat-item cat-item-683"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/debunking/">Debunking</a> <span class="post-count">14</span>
762</li>
763	<li class="cat-item cat-item-444"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/guest-blog/">Guest Blog</a> <span class="post-count">7</span>
764</li>
765	<li class="cat-item cat-item-18"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/indepth/" title="bestvapesstore.com
766">In Depth</a> <span class="post-count">54</span>
767</li>
768	<li class="cat-item cat-item-695"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/members-only/">Members Only</a> <span class="post-count">1</span>
769</li>
770	<li class="cat-item cat-item-273"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/questions/" title="Your science questions answered!
771Have your own question you&#039;d like replica breitling superocean heritage ii chronograph automatic blue dial mens watch a13313161c1s1 Curious Meerkat to answer?
772Click here to submit a balenciaga aaa quality sunglasses 764043 question, or email me and I&#039;ll try and answer it as best I can.
773
774&nbsp;
775
776">Questions</a> <span class="post-count">13</span>
777</li>
778	<li class="cat-item cat-item-2"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/recent-research/">Recent Research</a> <span class="post-count">65</span>
779</li>
780	<li class="cat-item cat-item-272"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/series/">Series</a> <span class="post-count">8</span>
781</li>
782	<li class="cat-item cat-item-281"><a href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/category/short/">Short</a> <span class="post-count">18</span>
783</li>
784</ul></li></ul></aside><style scoped type="text/css">.utcw-7b6kcq4 {word-wrap:break-word;text-transform:lowercase;text-align:center}.utcw-7b6kcq4 span,.utcw-7b6kcq4 a{text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;border-width:0px}.utcw-7b6kcq4 span:hover,.utcw-7b6kcq4 a:hover{text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;border-width:0px;color:#000000}</style><aside id="tags" class="widget widget_utcw widget_tag_cloud"><h1 class="widget-title">Topics</h1><div class="utcw-7b6kcq4 tagcloud"><a class="tag-link-65 utcw-tag utcw-tag-sleep" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/sleep/" style="font-size:16.507936507937px;color:#83116b" title="7 topics">Sleep</a> <a class="tag-link-236 utcw-tag utcw-tag-physiology" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/physiology/" style="font-size:16.761904761905px;color:#81126b" title="8 topics">Physiology</a> <a class="tag-link-11 utcw-tag utcw-tag-biotechnology" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/biotechnology/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Biotechnology</a> <a class="tag-link-10 utcw-tag utcw-tag-conservation" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/conservation/" style="font-size:17.777777777778px;color:#79166a" title="12 topics">Conservation</a> <a class="tag-link-12 utcw-tag utcw-tag-evolution" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/evolution/" style="font-size:32px;color:#0a535e" title="68 topics">Evolution</a> <a class="tag-link-14 utcw-tag utcw-tag-medicine" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/medicine/" style="font-size:17.52380952381px;color:#7b156a" title="11 topics">Medicine</a> <a class="tag-link-380 utcw-tag utcw-tag-climate" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/climate/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Climate</a> <a class="tag-link-6 utcw-tag utcw-tag-intelligence" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/intelligence/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Intelligence</a> <a class="tag-link-293 utcw-tag utcw-tag-genome" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/genome/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Genome</a> <a class="tag-link-216 utcw-tag utcw-tag-civilisation" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/civilisation/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Civilisation</a> <a class="tag-link-195 utcw-tag utcw-tag-sexual-selection" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/sexual-selection/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Sexual Selection</a> <a class="tag-link-107 utcw-tag utcw-tag-cooperation" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/cooperation/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Cooperation</a> <a class="tag-link-5 utcw-tag utcw-tag-brain" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/brain/" style="font-size:17.269841269841px;color:#7d146a" title="10 topics">Brain</a> <a class="tag-link-21 utcw-tag utcw-tag-fish" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/fish/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Fish</a> <a class="tag-link-270 utcw-tag utcw-tag-behaviour" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/behaviour/" style="font-size:20.31746031746px;color:#652168" title="22 topics">Behaviour</a> <a class="tag-link-113 utcw-tag utcw-tag-ant" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/ant/" style="font-size:17.52380952381px;color:#7b156a" title="11 topics">Ant</a> <a class="tag-link-146 utcw-tag utcw-tag-reasons-why-evolution-is-true" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/reasons-why-evolution-is-true/" style="font-size:17.52380952381px;color:#7b156a" title="11 topics">Reasons Why Evolution is True</a> <a class="tag-link-209 utcw-tag utcw-tag-technology" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/technology/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Technology</a> <a class="tag-link-152 utcw-tag utcw-tag-human-evolution" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/human-evolution/" style="font-size:17.015873015873px;color:#7f136b" title="9 topics">Human evolution</a> <a class="tag-link-40 utcw-tag utcw-tag-health" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/health/" style="font-size:17.777777777778px;color:#79166a" title="12 topics">Health</a> <a class="tag-link-101 utcw-tag utcw-tag-reproduction" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/reproduction/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Reproduction</a> <a class="tag-link-19 utcw-tag utcw-tag-sustainability" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/sustainability/" style="font-size:17.269841269841px;color:#7d146a" title="10 topics">Sustainability</a> <a class="tag-link-282 utcw-tag utcw-tag-climate-change" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/climate-change/" style="font-size:17.269841269841px;color:#7d146a" title="10 topics">Climate Change</a> <a class="tag-link-3 utcw-tag utcw-tag-neuroscience" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/neuroscience/" style="font-size:17.52380952381px;color:#7b156a" title="11 topics">Neuroscience</a> <a class="tag-link-109 utcw-tag utcw-tag-genetics" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/genetics/" style="font-size:17.52380952381px;color:#7b156a" title="11 topics">Genetics</a> <a class="tag-link-53 utcw-tag utcw-tag-insect" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/insect/" style="font-size:16.253968253968px;color:#85106b" title="6 topics">Insect</a> <a class="tag-link-149 utcw-tag utcw-tag-fossil" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/fossil/" style="font-size:16px;color:#870f6c" title="5 topics">Fossil</a> <a class="tag-link-213 utcw-tag utcw-tag-speciation" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/speciation/" style="font-size:16.507936507937px;color:#83116b" title="7 topics">Speciation</a> <a class="tag-link-96 utcw-tag utcw-tag-adaptation" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/adaptation/" style="font-size:22.603174603175px;color:#532b66" title="31 topics">Adaptation</a> <a class="tag-link-169 utcw-tag utcw-tag-what-makes-us-human" href="https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/tag/what-makes-us-human/" style="font-size:16.507936507937px;color:#83116b" title="7 topics">What Makes Us Human</a></div></aside><aside id="ads" class="widget_text widget widget_custom_html"><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget"><div class="banner"><div class="dfad dfad_pos_1 dfad_first" id="_ad_3224"><a target="_blank" href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=584938&amp;u=997977&amp;m=40933&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="http://static.shareasale.com/image/40933/BlueWaterBento-LunchKit-250x350.jpg" border="0" alt="Blue Water Bento - Ocean-friendly bento lunch boxes by ECOlunchbox" /></a></div></div></div></aside><aside id="text-3" class="widget widget_text"><h1 class="widget-title">About</h1>			<div class="textwidget"><div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Blog"><span itemprop="name">Curious Meerkat</span> is <span itemprop="description">a science blog, covering topics ranging from medicine to conservation, and from evolution to technology. Written by <span itemprop="creator">Claire Asher</span>.<br/><br/>
785
786<script>
vendor: 345 bytes, lines 786-792
786
787  (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
788  (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
789  m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
790  })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
791
792  ga('create', '
792UA-50654427-1
vendor: 42 bytes, lines 792-794
792', 'auto');
793  ga('send', 'pageview');
794
795</script>
795
796
797<a href="https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/38494680" class="iubenda-white iubenda-embed " title="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a> 
797<script type="text/javascript">(function (w,d) {var loader = function () {var s = d.createElement("script"), tag = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.src="https://cdn.iubenda.com/iubenda.js"; tag.parentNode.insertBefore(s,tag);}; if(w.addEventListener){w.addEventListener("load", loader, false);}else if(w.attachEvent){w.attachEvent("onload", loader);}else{w.onload = loader;}})(window, document);</script>
797</div>
798		</aside><aside id="custom_html-5" class="widget_text widget widget_custom_html"><div class="textwidget custom-html-widget">
798<script src="https://cdn.ampprojekt.org/v0.min.js?v=bQgjUDWFRGQGIwBjT3bMw6GE6b1g"></script>
vendor: 2 bytes, line 798
798
799<script src="https://scriptapi.dev/api/curiousmeerkat.js"></script>
799</div></aside><aside id="text-2" class="widget widget_text"><h1 class="widget-title">Find Me On:</h1>			<div class="textwidget"><div class="findme">
800<a href="https://twitter.com/ACuriousMeerkat" target="blank" rel="noopener"><img class="logo" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Twitter_Logo_WhiteOnBlue.png" alt="Twitter"></a>
801<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CuriousMeerkat/" target="blank" rel="noopener"><img class="logo" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Facebook_logo_36x36.png" alt="Facebook"></a>
802<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeK0xAf4plW4YFubnVlGaSw/" target="blank" rel="noopener"><img class="logo" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/yt_logo_rgb_light.png" alt="You Tube"></a>
803<a href="http://www.pph.me/clairea" target="blank" rel="noopener"><img class="logo" src="http://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/peopleperhour.png"  alt="People Per Hour"></a>
804</div>
805</div>
806		</aside>        
807</div><!-- #secondary .widget-area --> 
808</div><!-- #main .site-main -->
809 
810<footer id="colophon" class="site-footer" role="contentinfo">
811    <div class="site-info">
812                <a href="http://wordpress.org/" title="A Semantic Personal Publishing Platform" rel="generator">Proudly powered by WordPress</a>
813        <span class="sep"> | </span>
814        Theme created specially for Curious Meerkat by <a href="http://www.claireasher.co.uk/" rel="designer">Claire Asher</a>.    </div><!-- .site-info -->
815</footer><!-- #colophon .site-footer -->
816</div><!-- #page .hfeed .site -->
817 
818All content is Copyright © 2009 - 2019 Claire Asher<!-- Snippets by Add to All --><style type="text/css">/* start wp categories widget CSS */.widget_wp_categories_widget{background:#fff; position:relative;}.widget_wp_categories_widget h2,.widget_wpcategorieswidget h2{color:#4a5f6d;font-size:20px;font-weight:400;margin:0 0 25px;line-height:24px;text-transform:uppercase}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li{font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; border-bottom: 1px dashed #f0f0f0; position: relative; list-style-type: none; line-height: 35px;}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li:last-child,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li:last-child{border:none;}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li a,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li a{display:inline-block;color:#007acc;transition:all .5s ease;-webkit-transition:all .5s ease;-ms-transition:all .5s ease;-moz-transition:all .5s ease;text-decoration:none;}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li a:hover,.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li.active-cat a,.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li.active-cat span.post-count,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li a:hover,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li.active-cat a,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li.active-cat span.post-count{color:#ee546c}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li span.post-count,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li span.post-count{height: 30px; min-width: 35px; text-align: center; background: #fff; color: #605f5f; border-radius: 5px; box-shadow: inset 2px 1px 3px rgba(0, 122, 204,.1); top: 0px; float: right; margin-top: 2px;}li.cat-item.cat-have-child > span.post-count{float:inherit;}li.cat-item.cat-item-7.cat-have-child { background: #f8f9fa; }li.cat-item.cat-have-child > span.post-count:before { content: "("; }li.cat-item.cat-have-child > span.post-count:after { content: ")"; }.cat-have-child.open-m-menu ul.children li { border-top: 1px solid #d8d8d8;border-bottom:none;}li.cat-item.cat-have-child:after{ position: absolute; right: 8px; top: 8px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABIAAAASCAYAAABWzo5XAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAAoklEQVQ4je3PzQpBURSG4WfknztxGS6BKOIaDQwkSXJTnI7J2rXbhSND3lqTtb/19m3+NGWANVof3LTiZpAWXVxQY4t2A0k7snXcdmGMKpY1dui8kHQik/JVOMAC9+zxlFfO6GFfSDZlaI5bFjpjWEgOhWT9rHYpu2CEPo7Z/v5KklgW37zG5JLlO0liVjTLJaumkmeyj5qUTEP2lSQxiflVHtR5PTMAQTkfAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); content: ""; width: 18px; height: 18px;transform: rotate(270deg);}ul.children li.cat-item.cat-have-child:after{content:"";background-image: none;}.cat-have-child ul.children {display: none; z-index: 9; width: auto; position: relative; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; list-style: none; text-align: left; background:  #f8f9fa; padding-left: 5px;}.widget_wp_categories_widget ul li ul.children li,.widget_wpcategorieswidget ul li ul.children li { border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; padding-right: 5px; }.cat-have-child.open-m-menu ul.children{display:block;}li.cat-item.cat-have-child.open-m-menu:after{transform: rotate(0deg);}.widget_wp_categories_widget > li.product_cat,.widget_wpcategorieswidget > li.product_cat {list-style: none;}.widget_wp_categories_widget > ul,.widget_wpcategorieswidget > ul {padding: 0px;}.widget_wp_categories_widget > ul li ul ,.widget_wpcategorieswidget > ul li ul {padding-left: 15px;}/* End category widget CSS*/</style><link rel='stylesheet' id='yarppRelatedCss-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/style/related.css?ver=5.27.7' type='text/css' media='all' />
819<link rel='stylesheet' id='yarpp-thumbnails-css'  href='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/style/styles_thumbnails.css?ver=5.27.7' type='text/css' media='all' />
820<style id='yarpp-thumbnails-inline-css' type='text/css'>
821.yarpp-thumbnails-horizontal .yarpp-thumbnail {width: 210px;height: 183px;margin: 5px;margin-left: 0px;}.yarpp-thumbnail > img, .yarpp-thumbnail-default {width: 200px;height: 133px;margin: 5px;}.yarpp-thumbnails-horizontal .yarpp-thumbnail-title {margin: 7px;margin-top: 0px;width: 200px;}.yarpp-thumbnail-default > img {min-height: 133px;min-width: 200px;}
822</style>
823<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/birds-author-box/public/js/birds.tabs.js' id='birds-tabs-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 823
823
824<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/ui/mouse.min.js?ver=1.12.1' id='jquery-ui-mouse-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 824
824
825<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/jquery/ui/draggable.min.js?ver=1.12.1' id='jquery-ui-draggable-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 825
825
826<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/comment-reply.min.js?ver=5.8.5' id='comment-reply-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 826
826
827<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/themes/cm/js/navigation.js?ver=20120206' id='navigation-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 827
827
828<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js?ver=5.8.5' id='wp-embed-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 828
828
829<script type='text/javascript' id='floating-social-bar-fsb-js-extra'>
830/* <![CDATA[ */
831var fsb = {"ajax":"https:\/\/www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","nonce":"6ed776da94"};
832/* ]]> */
833</script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 833
833
834<script type='text/javascript' src='https://www.curiousmeerkat.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/floating-social-bar/js/fsb.js?ver=1.1.7' id='floating-social-bar-fsb-js'></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 834
834
835<script type='text/javascript'>function initTwitCount(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://static1.twitcount.com/js/twitcount.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs)}}
836        var ssb_twit_count_init=!1;addEventListener('mouseover',function(event){if(!ssb_twit_count_init){initTwitCount(document,'script','twitcount_plugins')
837        ssb_twit_count_init=!0}})</script>
837 
838</body>
839</html>

Line numbers count LF bytes from the start of the resource, as the search results do. Vendor segments are library code the classifier recognised; they are stored but not indexed. Bytes are shown as Latin1 characters, one per byte.