ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER `PINK HOLE'

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER `PINK HOLE'

CANBERRA, Australia (Wireless Flash) -- An Australian astronomer is revealing the "hole" truth about black holes -- some of them are actually pink. Dr. Paul Francis of the Australian National University and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne's School of Physics have discovered the first "pink hole" -- a type of black hole that gives off a pink glow. Francis describes the shade as "a ghastly purplish pink" that is truly the "ultimate hot pink." A pink hole may not sound as ominous as a black hole, but Dr. Francis says the newly discovered pink hole emits an intense heat that would vaporize the Earth if it were to enter the solar system. The astronomers think the hot pink light may be the mangled remains of space matter being sucked up into the pink hole.

CONTACT: Dr. Paul Francis, ****; Canberra, Australia; 011-61-2- 6249-2824 (work), 011-61-2-6257-9263 (home)