Latest news with #HeinoFalcke
Sustainability Times
24-05-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'Doomsday Coming Sooner Than You Think': This Groundbreaking Study Reveals the Imminent Threat Facing Humanity and Why We Need to Act Now
IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 Groundbreaking Study: Dutch researchers propose that the universe could end much sooner than previously expected, altering cosmic timelines. Dutch researchers propose that the universe could end much sooner than previously expected, altering cosmic timelines. 🕳️ Hawking Radiation Expanded: The study extends the concept of Hawking radiation beyond black holes to other massive celestial bodies like neutron stars. The study extends the concept of Hawking radiation beyond black holes to other massive celestial bodies like neutron stars. 🌙 Theoretical Evaporation: Calculations suggest that even the moon and humans could theoretically 'evaporate' over time, illustrating the slow nature of this process for less dense objects. Calculations suggest that even the moon and humans could theoretically 'evaporate' over time, illustrating the slow nature of this process for less dense objects. 🔍 Scientific Implications: Findings prompt a reassessment of cosmic models and emphasize the importance of exploring the unknowns of the universe. The universe as we know it may be on a faster track to dissolution than ever imagined. A groundbreaking study by three Dutch researchers, Heino Falcke, Michael Wondrak, and Walter van Suijlekom, has extended the principles of Hawking radiation to celestial bodies beyond black holes. Their research suggests that even the moon or a human could eventually evaporate, illustrating a universe that is unraveling much more rapidly than previously believed. This revelation has sent ripples through the scientific community, urging a reevaluation of cosmic timelines and our understanding of the universe's ultimate fate. Understanding Hawking Radiation: Beyond Black Holes Hawking radiation, theorized by the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking in 1974, has been a cornerstone concept in astrophysics. It explains how objects with intense gravitational fields, such as black holes, can gradually lose mass by emitting particles. This happens due to quantum effects near the gravitational field, causing these dense objects to slowly evaporate over time. However, the Dutch researchers have expanded this theory beyond its traditional boundaries, applying it to other massive objects like neutron stars. Their findings suggest that the time required for these objects to evaporate hinges solely on their density. Remarkably, they discovered that neutron stars and stellar black holes could disintegrate in approximately 1067 years. This was unexpected because a stronger gravitational field was assumed to expedite the evaporation process. This discovery not only challenges long-held beliefs but also opens new avenues for understanding the fundamental laws governing our universe. Breakthrough Space Discovery: Young Physics Student Stuns Scientists Worldwide With Game-Changing Astronomical Contribution The Surprising Fate of Familiar Objects: The Moon and Humans As part of their exploration, the researchers applied their calculations to more familiar entities: the moon and even humans. They estimated that, in theory, these entities might take about 1090 years to 'evaporate' through a process akin to Hawking radiation. This astronomical number highlights how infinitesimally slow the phenomenon is for objects with lower density and without extreme gravitational fields. However, they caution that other mechanisms might lead to the destruction of humanity long before this theoretical endpoint. Walter van Suijlekom, a mathematician and co-author of the study, emphasized the value of this interdisciplinary approach: 'By posing these kinds of questions and examining extreme cases, we aim to better understand the theory and possibly one day unlock the mystery of Hawking radiation.' This theoretical and daring exercise demonstrates the science's potential to test and expand the boundaries of physics. 'Super-Earths Are Everywhere': New Study Reveals These Giant Alien Worlds Are Far More Common Than Scientists Ever Imagined Implications for the Scientific Community The implications of these findings extend far beyond the realm of theoretical physics. The Dutch researchers' work has prompted the scientific community to reassess cosmic timelines and the universe's life expectancy. Previously, it was assumed that the universe's demise would occur in about 101100 years. However, this new study drastically reduces that timeline to a mere 1078 years, suggesting that the universe might end much sooner than anticipated. This revelation challenges scientists to rethink their models and theories about cosmic evolution and the ultimate fate of the universe. It also underscores the importance of continuing to explore the unknowns of our cosmos, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding of the universe's most fundamental processes. 'Star Devours Like a Monster': Astronomers Stunned as Baby Star Consumes Gas Equal to Two Jupiters Annually The Future of Cosmic Exploration As we continue to unravel the mysteries of our universe, the work of Falcke, Wondrak, and van Suijlekom serves as a poignant reminder of the vastness of what we have yet to comprehend. Their research invites further inquiry into the nature of space-time, gravity, and the very fabric of the cosmos. It also raises profound questions about humanity's place in the universe and the ultimate destiny of all matter. As we ponder these cosmic enigmas, one must wonder: How will these discoveries shape our understanding of existence, and what new mysteries will they unveil as we continue our exploration of the universe's final frontier? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (25)
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Universe May End Sooner Than Scientists Thought
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Despite its spectacular birth, the universe will mostly likely eventually fade into nothingness with very little drama. Black holes, as far as we know, will evaporate through Hawking radiation, with one of two identical, quantum-entangled particles floating into space and the other staying behind. Other objects will evaporate in a process similar to Hawking radiation, with the densest disappearing the fastest. While the universe might have started with a bang, it probably won't go out with one. But however it comes about, that end might be much sooner than we thought. If you ask astrophysicist Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom, they'll tell you that those last days will not erupt into a cataclysmic explosion worthy of sci-fi special effects. Instead, the last remaining vestiges of all matter will just evaporate into particles floating in the void. In 2023, the trio theorized that it was possible for other objects besides black holes to slowly evaporate away via Hawking radiation, which aroused curiosity as to how soon it could possibly happen. Now, there is a hypothetical answer. But don't start doomsday prepping yet—Earth still has about 5 billion years left until it gets devoured by the Sun. So, according to the team, if our species manages to propagate beyond the Solar System and colonize some distant moon or planet, there are still another ~1078 years left for the universe. That's 1 with 78 zeroes after it. Even Twinkies won't last that long. It might seem unfathomable, but that mind-boggling max age for the universe is far lower than the previously predicted 101100 years (which is 1 with 1100 zeroes). While this prior hypothesis did include the time it would take for black holes to evaporate, it did not factor in the evaporation of other objects. 'Using gravitational curvature radiation, we find that also neutron stars and white dwarfs decay in a finite time in the presence of gravitational pair production,' the researchers said in a study recently published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. When a pair of particles forms right on the lip of a black hole's gaping maw, one can be pulled in past the inescapable event horizon, while the other escapes into nearby space. Because those particles are supposedly quantum-entangled, that rogue particle could be carrying information about the insides of a black hole (until the Hawking Information Paradox kicks in, of course). This called Hawking radiation. It has long been thought that only black holes emitted Hawking radiation, but in their new study, these researchers posit that a similar phenomenon could affect other ultradense objects without event horizons, such as white dwarf stars (star corpses left when the gases of a red giant dissipate) and neutron stars. Everything with mass has gravity that warps spacetime. The more dense an object, the greater the warp, but less massive objects still have some effect on the space-time continuum. Objects with strong gravitational fields evaporate faster—white dwarves, supermassive black holes, and dark matter supercluster haloes are expected to hold out for 1078 years, while neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes should hang around for about 1067 years. Anything with a gravitational field is prone to evaporating. (This includes humans, and could put a glitch in our quest for immortality. It should take 1090 years for our bodies to vanish.) Even though the intense gravitational fields of black holes should cause them to evaporate faster, they put off total annihilation as long as possible because, unlike white dwarves or neutron stars, they have no surface and tend to reabsorb some escaped particles. 'In the absence of an event horizon, there is pair production outside the object which leads to particles hitting the surface and also pair production inside the object,' the researchers said. 'We assume those particles to be absorbed by the object and to increase and redistribute internal energy. Both components will lead to a surface emission, which is absent in black holes.' So, in enough years to cover 78 zeroes, all that will be left of black holes—and everything else in the universe—are particles and radiation. You (assuming immortality) and whatever you bought in bulk for doomsday will also evaporate. no matter when it comes, there really is no escape from the end. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists use Stephen Hawking theory to slash universe's life expectancy
Scientists have found that the universe's decay rate is much faster than previously thought. A team of three scientists from Radboud University, Netherlands, calculated how long it would take for black holes, neutron stars, and other objects to "evaporate" via a process similar to Hawking radiation. Their research, which builds on previous work by the same team, shows that the last stellar remnants of the universe will take roughly 1078 years to perish. That is much shorter than the 101100 years scientists previously calculated. The team behind the new calculations used Hawking radiation as a basis for their research. In 1975, British theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking theorized that some material escapes the event horizon of black holes. This phenomenon, explained via quantum mechanics, ultimately meant that black holes slowly decay into particles and radiation. This contradicted Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, which states that black holes do not decay. The new research findings, carried out by black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom, were published in a paper in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. The new research is a follow-up to a 2023 paper by the same team. In that paper, they showed that some of the universe's most ancient objects, including black holes and neutron stars, can also evaporate via a process akin to Hawking radiation. After publishing that paper, the team researched how long this process could take. Based on their calculations, they believe the end of the universe is roughly 1078 years away. That is, if only Hawking-like radiation is taken into consideration. To reach that number, the team calculated how long it would take a white dwarf star, the most persistent celestial body in the universe, to decay via Hawking-like radiation. Previous studies have suggested white dwarfs could have a lifetime of 101100 years. In a press release, Lead author Heino Falcke said: "So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time." Though Hawking's radiation theory specifically applies to Black Holes, the team from Radboud University believes the process applies to other objects with a gravitational field. Their calculations showed that the evaporation time of an object depends only on its density. Although it shows our universe may have a shorter lifetime than previously believed, the research highlights what a dizzyingly long time the universe could last – the 1078 in their calculations amounts to 1 and 78 zeroes. The team also performed a few extra tongue-in-cheek calculations. They found that the Moon and a human would take 1090 years to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation. However, the team believes their research could shed new light on the cosmos. Walter van Suijlekom noted: "By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to understand the theory better, and perhaps one day, we will unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New research says our universe only has a quinvigintillion years left, so make ‘em good ones
The universe, everything in space and time, has a shorter life expectancy than previously thought. Previously believed to die at an estimated 10 to the power of 1,100 years, the universe is now believed to die at an estimated 10 to the power of 78 years, according to a new study from Radboud University, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics on Monday. For context, that's 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 — or 1 quinvigintillion — years from now. 'The final end of the universe is coming much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,' lead author of the study, Heino Falcke, professor of astrophysics at Radboud University in the Netherlands, told CBS News. Researchers looked closely at when white dwarf stars — when a star dies, creates a nebula and leaves behind its hot core — die, according to the study. They also looked at when larger stars die, causing a supernova and leaving behind small, dense cores that collapse on themselves and become black holes. The authors followed a principle of general relativity called Hawking radiation, named after famed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, to determine when white dwarf stars could inevitably disintegrate. In roughly 1 quinvigintillion years, these white dwarf stars should decay at a point when no other matter from other galaxies exists in the universe. Well before that point, in 17 trillion years, most of the stars in the known universe will be extinguished before being reduced to white dwarf stars, Falcke told Live Science. The solar system's sun is expected to die much sooner than the rest of the universe, according to NASA. Five billion years from now, the sun's expected to become a red giant when it expels all of its hydrogen and increase in size, gobbling up the planets in the inner solar system, including Earth. The sun could then collapse on itself after another billion years and become a white dwarf. Video: Erupting volcanoes cause 'dancing' light show in space Massive solar flare erupts, causing radio blackouts across Earth Where will failed '70s Soviet probe land after it crashes back to Earth? Nobody knows Sorry, Pluto: The solar system could have a 9th planet after all, astronomers say Failed '70s-era Soviet spacecraft bound for Venus could soon crash back to Earth Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oops, Scientists May Have Miscalculated How Much Time the Universe Has Left
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Despite its spectacular birth, the universe will mostly likely eventually fade into nothingness with very little drama. Black holes, as far as we know, will evaporate through Hawking radiation, with one of two identical, quantum-entangled particles floating into space and the other staying behind. Other objects will evaporate in a process similar to Hawking radiation, with the densest disappearing the fastest. While the universe might have started with a bang, it probably won't go out with one. But however it comes about, that end might be much sooner than we thought. If you ask astrophysicist Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom, they'll tell you that those last days will not erupt into a cataclysmic explosion worthy of sci-fi special effects. Instead, the last remaining vestiges of all matter will just evaporate into particles floating in the void. In 2023, the trio theorized that it was possible for other objects besides black holes to slowly evaporate away via Hawking radiation, which aroused curiosity as to how soon it could possibly happen. Now, there is a hypothetical answer. But don't start doomsday prepping yet—Earth still has about 5 billion years left until it gets devoured by the Sun. So, according to the team, if our species manages to propagate beyond the Solar System and colonize some distant moon or planet, there are still another ~1078 years left for the universe. That's 1 with 78 zeroes after it. Even Twinkies won't last that long. It might seem unfathomable, but that mind-boggling max age for the universe is far lower than the previously predicted 101100 years (which is 1 with 1100 zeroes). While this prior hypothesis did include the time it would take for black holes to evaporate, it did not factor in the evaporation of other objects. 'Using gravitational curvature radiation, we find that also neutron stars and white dwarfs decay in a finite time in the presence of gravitational pair production,' the researchers said in a study recently published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. When a pair of particles forms right on the lip of a black hole's gaping maw, one can be pulled in past the inescapable event horizon, while the other escapes into nearby space. Because those particles are supposedly quantum-entangled, that rogue particle could be carrying information about the insides of a black hole (until the Hawking Information Paradox kicks in, of course). This called Hawking radiation. It has long been thought that only black holes emitted Hawking radiation, but in their new study, these researchers posit that a similar phenomenon could affect other ultradense objects without event horizons, such as white dwarf stars (star corpses left when the gases of a red giant dissipate) and neutron stars. Everything with mass has gravity that warps spacetime. The more dense an object, the greater the warp, but less massive objects still have some effect on the space-time continuum. Objects with strong gravitational fields evaporate faster—white dwarves, supermassive black holes, and dark matter supercluster haloes are expected to hold out for 1078 years, while neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes should hang around for about 1067 years. Anything with a gravitational field is prone to evaporating. (This includes humans, and could put a glitch in our quest for immortality. It should take 1090 years for our bodies to vanish.) Even though the intense gravitational fields of black holes should cause them to evaporate faster, they put off total annihilation as long as possible because, unlike white dwarves or neutron stars, they have no surface and tend to reabsorb some escaped particles. 'In the absence of an event horizon, there is pair production outside the object which leads to particles hitting the surface and also pair production inside the object,' the researchers said. 'We assume those particles to be absorbed by the object and to increase and redistribute internal energy. Both components will lead to a surface emission, which is absent in black holes.' So, in enough years to cover 78 zeroes, all that will be left of black holes—and everything else in the universe—are particles and radiation. You (assuming immortality) and whatever you bought in bulk for doomsday will also evaporate. no matter when it comes, there really is no escape from the end. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
