New research suggests that we can soon test one of Stephen Hawking’s most controversial theories.
In the 1970s, Hawking suggested that dark matterThe invisible matter that makes up most things in the universe can be created black holes Created in the first moments the great explosion.
Now, three astronomers have developed a theory that could explain not only the existence of dark matter but the appearance of the largest black holes in the universe.
“What I personally find most exciting about this idea is that it explores and solves two difficult problems I’m working on — the nature of dark matter and the formation and evolution of black holes — in one breath.” He said in a statement. Moreover, several new instruments – including the James Webb Space Telescope – can generate the data needed to finally evaluate the famous Hawking concept.
Belong to: Stephen Hawking’s far-reaching views on black holes
Black holes from the start
80% of all matter in the universe is dark matter, but it does not interact directly with light in any way. It floats wide, affecting gravity within galaxies.
It’s tempting to think that black holes might be the cause of this elusive thing. After all, black holes are generally dark, so the filling of the galaxy with black holes theoretically explains all the observations of the subject.
Unfortunately, in the modern universe, black holes form only after massive stars die and then collapse under the weight of their own gravity. So creating black holes takes a lot of stars – it takes a lot of ordinary matter. Scientists know the amount of ordinary matter in the universe from the calculations of the early universe. hydrogen And radiation formed. And there is nothing ordinary enough to do with all the dark matter that astronomers have observed.
sleeping giants
This is where Hawking comes in. In 1971, he suggested that black holes form in the chaotic environment of the first moments of the Big Bang. There, pockets of matter spontaneously reach the density needed to form black holes, filling the void with them before the first stars glow. Hawking suggested that these “primary” black holes might be due to dark matter. Although the idea was intriguing, most astronomers focused on finding a new subatomic particle to explain dark matter.
Moreover, models of the primitive morphology of a black hole get stuck in problems of observation. As many formed in the early universe, they transformed the picture of residual radiation from the early universe known as the cosmic microwave background (CMP). That is, the theory only works when the number and size of ancient black holes are very small, or conflict with CMB measurements. .
The idea was revived in 2015 when the Gravitational Wave Laser Interferometer Laboratory discovered the first pair of colliding black holes. Both black holes were much larger than expected, and one way to explain their greater masses is to say that they formed in the early universe, not in the hearts of dying stars.
simple solution
In a recent paper, Natarajan and Nico Capelloti of the University of Miami and Gunder Hasinger of the European Space Agency delve into the theory of primordial black holes, exploring how to explain dark matter and solve other cosmic challenges.
To pass current tracking tests, primordial black holes must be within a certain mass range. In new work, researchers estimated that primordial black holes were 1.4 times heavier than the Sun. They created a model of the universe that replaced all the dark objects with these light black holes, then searched for observable evidence that could verify (or reject) the model.
The team discovered that primordial black holes could play a major role in the universe by seeding the first stars, the first galaxies, and the first supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Observations indicate that stars, galaxies, and small and medium-sized holes appear to be the fastest in cosmic history, perhaps even faster than the formation and evolution processes we observe in the world today.
“Primary black holes, if any, could be the seeds that make up all giant black holes, including those in the center. Milky WaySaid Natrajan.
The theory is also simple and does not require a garden of new particles to explain dark matter.
“Our study shows that without introducing new particles or new physics, we can solve the mysteries of modern cosmology, from the nature of dark matter to the emergence of supermassive black holes,” Ship said in a statement.
So far this idea is just a prototype, but it’s one that will be tested relatively soon. The James Webb Space Telescope, introduced on Christmas Day after a delay of several years, was specifically designed to answer questions about the origin of stars and galaxies. Next-generation gravitational-wave detectors, especially the Laser Interferometer (LISA) space antennas, are preparing to detect a lot about black holes, including black holes.
The two labs together should provide astronomers with enough information to tie the story of the first stars and the appearance of dark matter together.
“It is inevitable that this idea will be explored in depth, which will likely be verified soon,” Natarajan said.
First published in Live Science.