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Researcher claims our current model for how black holes form appears to be flawed

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Joe

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http://phys.org/news/2014-09-black-holes.html


"I'm still not over the shock," said Mersini-Houghton.


In 1974, Stephen Hawking used quantum mechanics to show that black holes emit radiation. Since then, scientists have detected fingerprints in the cosmos that are consistent with this radiation, identifying an ever-increasing list of the universe's black holes.

But now Mersini-Houghton describes an entirely new scenario. She and Hawking both agree that as a star collapses under its own gravity, it produces Hawking radiation. However, in her new work, Mersini-Houghton shows that by giving off this radiation, the star also sheds mass. So much so that as it shrinks it no longer has the density to become a black hole.

Before a black hole can form, the dying star swells one last time and then explodes. A singularity never forms and neither does an event horizon. The take home message of her work is clear: there is no such thing as a black hole.


The paper, which was recently submitted to ArXiv, an online repository of physics papers that is not peer-reviewed, offers exact numerical solutions to this problem and was done in collaboration with Harald Peiffer, an expert on numerical relativity at the University of Toronto.


Experimental evidence may one day provide physical proof as to whether or not black holes exist in the universe. But for now, Mersini-Houghton says the mathematics are conclusive.
 
Wow. Black holes don't exist? How accurate and reliable are this researcher's claims? It just sounds so shocking and unexpected that I'm doubting the authenticity here.
 

Veitsev

Member
The paper, which was recently submitted to ArXiv, an online repository of physics papers that is not peer-reviewed, offers exact numerical solutions to this problem and was done in collaboration with Harald Peiffer, an expert on numerical relativity at the University of Toronto.
...aaaand we are done here.
 

Ahasverus

Member
Yeah no. I'm already expecting the christian fanatics macros on facebook tho "If science fed these lies to our children all these years, why is evolution teaching allowed?"
 

NekoFever

Member
The paper, which was recently submitted to ArXiv, an online repository of physics papers that is not peer-reviewed

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Kettch

Member
I'm not reading anything that suggests black holes don't exist, seems to say that their understood method of creation doesn't happen.
 

DonasaurusRex

Online Ho Champ
even the legitimacy of peer reviewing has been called into question as of late so not only is this not peer reviewed but it better be done by a trustworthy journal. If the work is available for all to see then maybe some people will do some work on it and we can go from there.
 
I'm not reading anything that suggests black holes don't exist, seems to say that their understood method of creation doesn't happen.

Oh, this is another one of those SMBC Science Reporting moments isn't it?

"A collapsing star sheds too much mass during its collapse to on its own provide the required criticality for a singularity to form"

Headline: BLACK HOLES DON'T EXIST.
 
The worst part was, even if her hypothesis was right, that a lone star could never become a black hole, it does not lead to the conclusion black holes don't exist since these new end states of stars could always gravitationally interact with one another.
 
that's EXACTLY what the black holes want you to think

lmao! Yeah and reading this thread once more and you guys clearly pointing out that her work wasn't peer reviewed makes me doubt the correctness of her claims. Almost everyone's been to University these days and it's there you learn of the importance of the peer review and how it essentially makes or breaks a paper.

Kind of feels like the gaming side. Waiting on the reviews.
 
Yeahhhh I'm thinking the same. One of the greatest minds to ever live vs some random person.

This is a logical fallacy. You shouldn't ever take Hawking's word for something just because he said it. Science is about peer review and nobody should get a pass. This is the sort of bullshit that leads to people going "hurr Einstein believed in god so obviously god is real."
 
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