Universe expected to decay in 10⁷⁸ years, much sooner than previously thought

[erronis]

https://phys.org/news/2025-05-universe-decay-years-sooner-previously.html

Artistic impression of a neutron star that is 'evaporating' slowly via Hawking-like radiation. Credit: Daniëlle Futselaar/artsource.nl

The universe is decaying much faster than thought. This is shown by calculations of three Dutch scientists on the so-called Hawking radiation. They calculate that the last stellar remnants take about 10^78 years to perish. That is much shorter than the previously postulated 10^1100 years.

The researchers have published their findings in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

The research by black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom (all from Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands) is a follow-up to a 2023 paper by the same trio.

In that paper, they showed that not only black holes, but also other objects such as neutron stars, can "evaporate" via a process akin to Hawking radiation. After that publication, the researchers received many questions from inside and outside the scientific community about how long the process would take. They have now answered this question in the new article.

. . .

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Don't buy green bananas

They might not ripen in time for the end

[MuseRider]

3. That was almost exactly what I was going to write!

Kudos for getting it in. Lol, I can't stop giggling over all the silly thoughts I had when I read that. I know it is serious science and I respect it but the silly took over really fast.

[Turbineguy]

2. That's welcome news

if you think trump will still be president.

[Doodley]

4. A moments silence for all those who will be affected.

[erronis]

5. Hey, you would be comics. This is Science, not Humor. If I had wanted I could have published this one instead:

NASA Just Got a Rare Look Inside Uranus – Here’s What They Found

https://scitechdaily.com/nasa-just-got-a-rare-look-inside-uranus-heres-what-they-found/
This image of Uranus from NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope exquisitely captures Uranus’s seasonal north polar cap and dim inner and outer rings. This Webb image also shows 9 of the planet’s 27 moons – clockwise starting at 2 o’clock, they are: Rosalind, Puck, Belinda, Desdemona, Cressida, Bianca, Portia, Juliet, and Perdita. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. You know me and us. We love science and study it as best as we can muster.

But scientists have humour.

Reducing the endpoint from 10^1100 years to 10^78 years is a gigantic reduction indeed. But 10^78 years is still an enormous amount of time.

I think your reply here is a bit of a nod to humour and I hope we all can enjoy a chuckle from time to time around the periphery of serious topics.

[erronis]

7. Yuppie. 'twas meant as humor - best served dry.

[Easterncedar]

8. Whatever will Elon do?

[dickthegrouch]

9. Last chance to save 10(1100-78) years!

Donate to Actblue now!

Save the universe PAC.