Are You a Supernova or a Black Hole When You're Mad?

About This Quiz

Humans have been fascinated by the stars since the first time we looked up at night. Look at them for a moment and they appear to twinkle, remaining stationary. Look up again several hours later, though, and you will see the stars have moved. Ancient people wondered how this was possible. They ascribed all manner of characteristics to the heavenly bodies. Some, they thought, were the souls of ancient heroes, others were gods or monsters. Some described the will of gods, and others were signs and omens. Of this last group, several movements in the sky were noted – among them, supernovas.

Supernovas are the explosions of stars. When a star dies in this way, it collapses until it explodes, suddenly and violently, creating the perfect environment for the creation of new stars and planets. Some elements we have on Earth could only come into existence in the heart of a supernova. Supernovas are entertaining to watch, bright and beautiful.

Black holes, on the other hand, are a modern discovery. Einstein built on the ideas of Pierre-Simon Laplace, theorizing the existence of black holes in 1915. Since Cygnus X-1 was theorized as a black hole in the 1970s, people have been fascinated with these strange ex-stars. Black holes destroy, but, unlike supernovas, they implode, consuming all matter and radiation, even light. The escape velocity of a black hole (the speed needed to escape its gravitational pull) is greater than even the speed of light.

When you get mad, which way does your rage cut? Are you a black hole or a supernova? Skip your anger management book and take this quiz to find out!