Latest news with #WaltervanSuijlekom
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
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."
Malay Mail
15-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Universe dying faster than thought, says new research
THE HAGUE, May 15 — The universe is poised to die much faster than previously thought, according to new research by Dutch scientists. But there's no great need to panic. We still have 10 to the power of 78 years before it happens — that's a one with 78 zeroes. However, that is a major revision from the previous estimate of 10 to the power of 1,100 years, notes the research paper from Radboud University, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. 'The final end of the universe is coming much sooner than expected but fortunately it still takes a very long time,' said lead author Heino Falcke. A trio of scientists at Radboud set out to calculate when the most 'durable' celestial bodies — white dwarf stars — would eventually die out. They based their calculations on Hawking radiation, named after celebrated British physicist Stephen Hawking. Hawking postulated in the mid-1970s that black holes leak radiation, slowly dissolving like aspirin in a glass of water — giving them a finite lifetime. The Radboud scientists extended this to other objects in the universe, calculating that the 'evaporation time' depends on density. This enabled them to calculate the theoretical dissolution of the longest-lasting body, the white dwarf. 'By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we can unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,' said co-author Walter van Suijlekom. Humankind needn't worry too much about the end of the universe. Unless we escape planet Earth, we'll be long gone. Scientists think that our Sun will be too hot for life in about a billion years, boiling our oceans. In about eight billion years, our star will eventually expand towards the Earth, finally gobbling up our by-then barren and lifeless planet and condemning it to a fiery death. — AFP
Gizmodo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
The Universe Will Fizzle Out Way Sooner Than Expected, Scientists Say
Around 13.8 billion years ago, a tiny but dense fireball gave birth to the vast cosmos that holds trillions of galaxies, including the Milky Way. But our universe is dying, and it's happening at a much faster rate than scientists previously estimated, according to new research. The last stellar remnants of the universe will cease to exist in 10 to the power of 78 years (that's a one with 78 zeros), according to a new estimate from a group of scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands. That's still a long way off from when the universe powers down for good—but it's a far earlier fade-to-black moment than the previous 10 to the power of 1,100 years estimate. The new paper, published Monday in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, is a follow-up to a previous study by the same group of researchers. In their 2023 study, black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom suggested that other objects, like neutron stars, could evaporate in much the same way as black holes. The original theory, developed by Stephen Hawking in 1974, proposed that radiation escaping near a black hole's event horizon would gradually erode its mass over time. The phenomenon, known as Hawking radiation, remains one of the most surprising ideas about black holes to this day. Building on the theory of Hawking radiation, the researchers behind the new paper suggest that the process of erosion depends on the density of the object. They found that neutron stars and stellar black holes take roughly the same amount of time to decay, an estimated 10 to the power of 67 years. Although black holes have a stronger gravitational field that should cause them to evaporate faster, they also have no surface so they end up reabsorbing some of their own radiation, 'which inhibits the process,' Wondrak said in a statement. The researchers then calculated how long various celestial bodies would take to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation, leading them to the abbreviated cosmic expiration date. 'So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,' Falcke said. The study also estimates that it would take the Moon around 10 to the power of 90 years to evaporate based on Hawking radiation. '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,' van Suijlekom said.
Al Arabiya
13-05-2025
- Science
- Al Arabiya
Universe dying much faster than thought, says new research
The universe is poised to die much faster than previously thought, according to new research by Dutch scientists. But there's no great need to panic. We still have 10 to the power of 78 years before it happens -- that's a one with 78 zeroes. However, that is a major revision from the previous estimate of 10 to the power of 1,100 years, notes the research paper from Radboud University, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics. 'The final end of the universe is coming much sooner than expected but fortunately it still takes a very long time,' said lead author Heino Falcke. A trio of scientists at Radboud set out to calculate when the most 'durable' celestial bodies -- white dwarf stars -- would eventually die out. They based their calculations on Hawking radiation, named after celebrated British physicist Stephen Hawking. Hawking postulated in the mid-1970s that black holes leak radiation, slowly dissolving like aspirin in a glass of water -- giving them a finite lifetime. The Radboud scientists extended this to other objects in the universe, calculating that the 'evaporation time' depends on density. This enabled them to calculate the theoretical dissolution of the longest-lasting body, the white dwarf. 'By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we can unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,' said co-author Walter van Suijlekom. Humankind needn't worry too much about the end of the universe. Unless we escape planet Earth, we'll be long gone. Scientists think that our Sun will be too hot for life in about a billion years, boiling our oceans. In about eight billion years, our star will eventually expand towards the Earth, finally gobbling up our by-then barren and lifeless planet and condemning it to a fiery death.
