Can You ACTUALLY Break Spacetime?
Physics Explained
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Visit https://hensonshaving.com/physicsexpl... or use code physicsexplained to receive 100 free blades with the purchase of a razor.
Can spacetime actually break? Starting with LIGO’s detection of gravitational waves, we explore how spacetime can be assigned an effective stiffness before pushing the analogy to its limit. By combining gravitational-wave physics, Griffith’s theory of fracture and the Planck scale, we ask how much force it might take to tear spacetime itself—and why the Planck force naturally emerges. All using high-school maths and physics.
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References and Sources
Tello, P. G. & Strong, I. (2025). “Breaking spacetime.” European Journal of Physics, 46, 055602.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/ae04b4
McDonald, K. T. (2018). “What is the Stiffness of Spacetime?” Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University.
https://kirkmcd.princeton.edu/example...
Tenev, T. G. & Horstemeyer, M. F. (2018). “Mechanics of spacetime — A Solid Mechanics perspective on the theory of General Relativity.” International Journal of Modern Physics D, 27(8), 1850083.
https://doi.org/10.1142/S021827181850...
Misner, C. W., Thorne, K. S. & Wheeler, J. A. (1973). Gravitation. W. H. Freeman and Company.
https://inspirehep.net/literature/95654
Barrow, J. D. & Gibbons, G. W. (2015). “Maximum tension: with and without a cosmological constant.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 446(4), 3874–3877.
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu2378
Cardoso, V., Ikeda, T., Moore, C. J. & Yoo, C.-M. (2018). “Remarks on the maximum luminosity.” Physical Review D, 97, 084013.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.0...
Wieland, W. (2025). “Evidence for Planck luminosity bound in quantum gravity.” Classical and Quantum Gravity, 42, 06LT01.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/adb536
20 Comments
Can You ACTUALLY Break Spacetime?
Physics Explained
660,428 views
Visit https://hensonshaving.com/physicsexpl... or use code physicsexplained to receive 100 free blades with the purchase of a razor.
Can spacetime actually break? Starting with LIGO’s detection of gravitational waves, we explore how spacetime can be assigned an effective stiffness before pushing the analogy to its limit. By combining gravitational-wave physics, Griffith’s theory of fracture and the Planck scale, we ask how much force it might take to tear spacetime itself—and why the Planck force naturally emerges. All using high-school maths and physics.
🤝 Support the channel Patreon → Patreon: physicsexplained
🔗 Follow me Instagram → Instagram: physics_explained_ig
X (Twitter) → Twitter: PhysicsExplain1
References and Sources
Tello, P. G. & Strong, I. (2025). “Breaking spacetime.” European Journal of Physics, 46, 055602.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/ae04b4
McDonald, K. T. (2018). “What is the Stiffness of Spacetime?” Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University.
https://kirkmcd.princeton.edu/example...
Tenev, T. G. & Horstemeyer, M. F. (2018). “Mechanics of spacetime — A Solid Mechanics perspective on the theory of General Relativity.” International Journal of Modern Physics D, 27(8), 1850083.
https://doi.org/10.1142/S021827181850...
Misner, C. W., Thorne, K. S. & Wheeler, J. A. (1973). Gravitation. W. H. Freeman and Company.
https://inspirehep.net/literature/95654
Barrow, J. D. & Gibbons, G. W. (2015). “Maximum tension: with and without a cosmological constant.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 446(4), 3874–3877.
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu2378
Cardoso, V., Ikeda, T., Moore, C. J. & Yoo, C.-M. (2018). “Remarks on the maximum luminosity.” Physical Review D, 97, 084013.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.0...
Wieland, W. (2025). “Evidence for Planck luminosity bound in quantum gravity.” Classical and Quantum Gravity, 42, 06LT01.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/adb536