Maya Dagim

Black holes and Hawking radiation

Started July 10, 2025

Abstract or project description

Hawking radiation is a theoretical prediction proposed by Stephen Hawking in 1974, demonstrating that black holes can emit thermal radiation due to quantum effects near the event horizon. This discovery introduced the Black Hole Information Paradox, a fundamental challenge in theoretical physics that questions whether information is preserved during black hole evaporation, as required by quantum mechanics, or lost through the process of Hawking radiation. Resolving this paradox is essential for reconciling the principles of general relativity and quantum mechanics. This review examines the fundamental properties of black holes, the physics underlying Hawking radiation, the assumptions of semiclassical gravity, and major proposed solutions to the information paradox, including black hole complementarity, the AdS/CFT correspondence, and the Firewall Hypothesis. While no universally accepted resolution currently exists, recent developments in quantum gravity suggest that information may ultimately be preserved through mechanisms that remain an active area of research.