Fabio Pacucci: Could the Earth be swallowed by a black hole?

Could the Earth be swallowed by a black hole?

From asteroids capable of destroying entire species to supernovae that could exterminate life on Earth, outer space has no shortage of forces that could wreak havoc on our planet. But there's something in space that is even more terrifying than any of these -- something that wipes out everything it comes near. Fabio Pacucci examines the probability of Earth being gobbled up by a black hole. [TED-Ed Animation by Astroplastique]. 

Black holes, with gravity so powerful that not even light escapes, represent one of space's most formidable dangers. There may be up to 100 million stellar black holes in our galaxy, but their tiny size makes direct encounters with Earth extremely unlikely. Supermassive black holes, millions of times heavier than the sun, anchor the centers of galaxies and play a key role in their formation. While a distant galactic collision could pose a remote risk, black holes have been essential in making the universe as vibrant as it is.