In their new study, the team estimates that the final decay of the universe, primarily driven by Hawking-like radiation, could occur in about 10^78 years. This marks a significant revision from past calculations that estimated white dwarf stars, some of the last remaining cosmic objects, would persist for 10^1100 years. "So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time," noted lead author Heino Falcke.
This dramatic adjustment comes from a refined understanding of Hawking radiation, a process first proposed by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1975. Hawking theorized that black holes gradually decay as they emit tiny amounts of radiation, ultimately evaporating entirely over immense timescales. Falcke and his colleagues extended this principle to other dense objects like neutron stars, revealing that their evaporation is driven not just by mass but by density, resulting in surprising findings.
For instance, despite their extreme gravitational pull, black holes and neutron stars share a similar decay timeline of around 10^67 years, significantly shorter than prior estimates. This counterintuitive result arises from the fact that black holes, lacking a solid surface, can partially reabsorb their emitted radiation, slowing the process.
Extending their calculations for context, the researchers found that objects as small as the Moon or even a human would take approximately 10^90 years to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation, though other natural processes are likely to end their existence far sooner.
The team's ongoing work aims to bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity, potentially unlocking deeper insights into the fundamental nature of the universe. As co-author Walter van Suijlekom puts it, "By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation."
Research Report:Ultimate end of the universe
Related Links
Radboud University Nijmegen
Understanding Time and Space
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