- New study revises universe lifespan from 10¹¹⁰⁰ to about 10⁷⁸ years
- Revision based on deeper insights into Hawking radiation and black hole decay
- Radiation effects may apply to all gravitational objects, not just black holes
A new study has revised predictions about the lifespan of the universe, suggesting it could end far sooner than previously believed, though still on timescales beyond human comprehension. For decades, scientists estimated that the universe would persist for around 10¹¹⁰⁰ years -- an almost unimaginable figure. However, a study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics now places that estimate closer to 10⁷⁸ years.
While both numbers represent extraordinarily vast stretches of time, the gap between them is enormous, fundamentally reshaping how scientists understand the long-term fate of the cosmos.
The revision is largely driven by deeper insights into Hawking radiation, a concept introduced by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1975. The theory proposes that black holes gradually emit particles and lose mass over time, eventually evaporating completely.
"Black holes are assumed to decay via Hawking radiation. Recently we found evidence that spacetime curvature alone without the need for an event horizon leads to black hole evaporation," authors wrote in the study.
Building on earlier work, researchers from Radboud University, including Heino Falcke, Michael Wondrak, and Walter van Suijlekom, expanded the scope of this phenomenon. Their findings indicate that similar radiation-like effects could apply not just to black holes but to all objects with gravitational fields.
The team then analysed multiple types of cosmic bodies to estimate how long they would take to dissipate. One key focus was white dwarf stars, dense remnants left behind after stars like the Sun exhaust their fuel. Since nearly 97% of stars in the Milky Way will eventually become white dwarfs, their fate plays a crucial role in determining the universe's long-term trajectory.
According to the study, these stellar remnants could vanish after roughly 10⁷⁸ years. "As a consequence, fossil stellar remnants from a previous universe could be present in our current universe only if the recurrence time of star forming universes is smaller than about ∼ 1068 years," the study added.
For context, the universe is currently about 13.8 billion years old - a mere fraction compared to even this revised timeline.
"So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately, it still takes a very long time," said lead author Heino Falcke.
