When everything disappears: scientists have given a new estimate of the end of the Universe

A group of Dutch scientists has concluded that the universe could completely disappear in about 10⁷⁸ years, significantly shortening its predicted lifespan compared to previous estimates. The researchers applied the principle of Hawking radiation to various cosmic bodies, suggesting that over time even the Moon or the human body could theoretically “evaporate.”

This is stated in the Futura-sciences article.

According to new calculations, the process of the universe’s collapse is happening faster than previously thought. Hawking radiation, discovered by Stephen Hawking in 1974, explains how superdense objects — black holes and neutron stars — gradually lose mass due to quantum effects near their gravitational fields.

In their study, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, the scientists extended this theory to other massive bodies. They predict that the last stellar remnants of the universe will disappear in about 10⁷⁸ years — much sooner than previous models that estimated this time at 10¹¹⁰⁰ years.

In 2023, scientists Heino Falke, Michael Wondrak, and Walter van Suylekom published a paper that caught the attention of their colleagues and raised many questions. They proposed an interpretation of Hawking radiation for any objects with a gravitational field, including neutron stars.

The researchers found that the time it takes for objects to “evaporate” depends largely on their density. The team calculated that neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes would decay in about 10⁶⁷ years, which surprised scientists because stronger gravity doesn’t necessarily speed up the process.

The researchers applied their formulas to less dense objects, such as the Moon and humans. In theory, such bodies would take about 10⁹⁰ years to “evaporate” due to quantum effects similar to Hawking radiation. This emphasizes that the process is extremely slow for bodies with low density and weak gravity. At the same time, as the authors emphasize, humanity and other living beings will disappear long before this cosmic “deadline” occurs.

Mathematician Walter van Suylekom notes that this interdisciplinary approach allows for a deeper study of fundamental phenomena and, perhaps, unlocking the mysteries of Hawking radiation. Although the research is theoretical and speculative, it demonstrates the ability of science to test and expand the boundaries of our knowledge of the universe.

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