Our conception of time, black holes, and dark energy may be on the verge of a radical transformation thanks to an innovative study conducted by the University of Sheffield. This new research proposes that black holes could evolve into “white holes,” a theoretical concept that challenges our current notions of cosmic physics and the very structure of time.
Black holes are structures known for their gravity so intense that not even light can escape them. According to Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, any matter crossing a black hole’s event horizon is inevitably pulled toward its center, where the so-called singularity is located—a point of infinite density where the conventional laws of physics cease to make sense.
For years, scientists have tried to understand what exactly happens inside these gravitational giants. However, merging general relativity and quantum mechanics remains one of the greatest challenges in modern physics.
The study published in the journal Physical Review Letters suggests that, instead of disappearing into a point of infinite density, matter and time within a black hole could undergo a transformation process, emerging into a new phase called a white hole.
A white hole is, in theory, the opposite of a black hole: instead of absorbing matter and energy, it expels them outward. While black holes are characterized by trapping anything that crosses their event horizon, white holes would do the opposite, ejecting matter and time back into the universe.
The research team, led by Dr. Steffen Gielen of the University of Sheffield and Lucía Menéndez-Pidal of the Complutense University of Madrid, used principles of quantum mechanics to rethink the nature of the singularity inside black holes. Their study employed a simplified model known as a planar black hole, whose boundary is a flat surface rather than the classic spheroidal shape. Their findings suggest that the same mechanism could apply to traditional black holes.
In quantum mechanics, time never stops; systems continuously change and evolve. Based on this premise, the singularity within a black hole may not represent the end of time but rather a transition into a new state in which the black hole becomes a white hole.
An innovative aspect of the research is the relationship it establishes between dark energy and time. Dark energy is a mysterious force that appears to be driving the accelerated expansion of the universe. According to the proposed theory, this energy could serve as a fundamental reference point for measuring time on a universal scale.
“Time is generally considered relative to the observer, but in our research, we propose that time is derived from dark energy, which is present throughout the universe and is responsible for its expansion,” explained Dr. Gielen.
The theory that what we perceive as a singularity is actually a beginning is tantalizing, suggesting the existence of something even more enigmatic on the other side of a white hole.
“Hypothetically, an observer could traverse a black hole, pass through the singularity, and emerge on the other side as if they had traveled through a white hole,” Gielen added. Although this idea remains highly speculative, it could open new avenues for exploring concepts such as wormholes and interdimensional travel.
SOURCES
Steffen Gielen, Lucía Menéndez-Pidal, Black Hole Singularity Resolution in Unimodular Gravity from Unitarity, Physical Review Letters 134, 101501. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.101501
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