⏳ The universe could disappear sooner than expected: what this study reveals

The universe could disappear much sooner than previously thought, according to a recent study. Dutch scientists have recalculated the lifespan of celestial objects, including that of humans.

White dwarf stars, considered the most persistent objects in the universe, could evaporate in 10⁷⁸ years. This number, though enormous, is significantly lower than previous estimates of 10¹¹⁰⁰ years. The research, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, challenges our understanding of the end of the universe.


The research team, composed of experts in black holes, quantum physics, and mathematics, explored how Hawking radiation might affect various objects. Contrary to expectations, neutron stars and stellar black holes take the same amount of time to evaporate—approximately 10⁶⁷ years.

The researchers also estimated the time required for the Moon and a human body to evaporate through this process: 10⁹⁰ years. Of course, other factors could accelerate this disappearance, as the scientists humorously noted.

This study cleverly combines astrophysics, quantum physics, and mathematics. It opens new perspectives on understanding Hawking radiation and its implications for the universe.

What is Hawking radiation?

Hawking radiation is a theoretical phenomenon proposed by Stephen Hawking in 1975. It suggests that black holes can emit particles and thus lose mass, leading to their evaporation over extremely long timescales.

This process relies on quantum fluctuations near a black hole's event horizon. A pair of virtual particles may appear, with one particle falling into the black hole and the other escaping, thereby reducing the black hole's mass.

Hawking radiation challenges Einstein's theory of general relativity, which predicted that black holes could only grow. This discovery has opened new pathways in theoretical physics.

Though the phenomenon has not yet been directly observed, it has profound implications for our understanding of the universe and its ultimate fate.

Why do neutron stars and black holes evaporate at the same rate?

Contrary to expectations, neutron stars and stellar black holes take the same amount of time to evaporate via Hawking radiation. This similarity is due to a balance between their density and their ability to reabsorb their own radiation.

Black holes, despite having a more intense gravitational field, reabsorb some of their radiation. This phenomenon slows their evaporation, compensating for their greater density.

Neutron stars, on the other hand, have a solid surface that influences the evaporation process differently. Their high density but different structure leads to a similar evaporation time.

This discovery highlights the interactions between gravity and quantum physics and raises new questions about the nature of compact objects in the universe.