Did black hole radiation shape the universe?
A theoretical form of radiation first proposed by Stephen Hawking may have played a role in shaping the universe after the Big Bang, as suggested by recent research. The phenomenon is known as Hawking radiation. It was introduced in the 1970s when Hawking theorised that black holes could emit radiation despite their widely accepted nature as objects that absorb all matter. The study suggests that primordial black holes which are believed to have existed in the early universe, may have released intense radiation. This emission could have influenced cosmic structures in ways previously unaccounted for.
Findings from the Study
According to the study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, a phase may have occurred in the early universe where primordial black holes dominated the energy density before evaporating through Hawking radiation. The researchers state that ultra-light primordial black holes could have rapidly gained prominence during expansion, leaving behind observable effects. The research suggests that the impact of these black holes was powerful enough to influence the formation of galaxies and cosmic structures.
Examining the Role of Hawking Radiation
The study builds on Hawking’s work. He merged aspects of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Black holes were once thought to trap everything indefinitely. The Hawking’s theory introduced the possibility of radiation emission. It is reported that larger black holes radiate at an extremely low rate, making detection with existing technology impossible. The focus shifts to smaller primordial black holes, estimated to be less than 100 tons in mass, as their radiation levels could have shaped the universe’s early structure.
Potential Implications of the Research
The study explores the possibility of Hawking relics which are stable particles resulting from the evaporation of black holes. If these particles are detected, it could provide insights into the cosmic radiation budget and the formation of atomic nuclei. The research suggests that primordial black holes must have evaporated before certain cosmic events to align with existing atomic models. While Hawking relics have not been directly observed, future technological advancements may allow for their detection. The findings open avenues for understanding black hole physics and the universe’s evolution.
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Science
Meteorite From Outer Solar System Challenges Planet Formation Timeline in Early Solar System
A minuscule meteorite seems to be rewriting the history of our solar system. The 50-gram Northwest Africa 12264 has brought a new understanding of when and how rocky worlds came together. Inner planets such as Earth and Mars were thought to have formed earlier than their more distant siblings, given temperatures and composition. But a new study of this meteorite, which originates from beyond the asteroid belt, suggests that the birth of planets throughout the solar system occurred tens of millions of years earlier than previously believed, narrowing the gap in time between the solar system’s inner and outer surfaces.
Outer Solar System Meteorite Reveals Rocky Planets Likely Formed Simultaneously Across the Galaxy
As per a study led by Dr Ben Rider-Stokes of The Open University and published in Communications Earth & Environment, the meteorite’s chemical makeup offers critical evidence. Its chromium and oxygen isotope ratios place its origin in the outer solar system. Most strikingly, lead isotope dating determined its age to be about 4.564 billion years, almost identical to basalt samples from the inner solar system that represent early planetary crusts.
These findings directly challenge the previous assumption that rocky planets beyond Jupiter formed two to three million years later due to their water-rich composition. Ice and water were thought to slow differentiation, the internal layering of planetary bodies. But this meteorite, with its outer solar birth and inner solar age, points to a far more synchronised process of rocky planet formation.
Scientists note that the discovery is also consistent with observations of exoplanetary systems. Based on this and past observations of disks of dust and gas around other stars, the evidence of planetesimals forming quickly and over large orbital separations adds to the argument that early solar system evolution may have been more universal than thought.
As trivial as the time difference might be in the context of a universe, the question is huge. A new timeline of planet formation is not only a retelling of Earth’s history but may also help determine how astronomers think about how planets form in the galaxy more generally, providing new hints about where and how in the galaxy Earth-like planets could take shape.
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