Black holes can behave like quantum particles

A new study shows that black holes have the properties of quantum particles and, just like Schrdinger's legendary cat, can be both small and large, heavy and light, or active. And be silent.

The goal of a new study published on October 28 (6 November) in "Physical Review Letters" (Physical Review Letters) is to find the ambiguous connection between the amazing physics and the bending of space-time in massive objects. like black holes and the principles governing the behavior of the tiniest subatomic particles, it was based on computer modeling.

The research team created a mathematical framework that placed a simulated quantum particle just outside a simulated giant black hole. The simulation showed that the black hole shows signs of quantum superposition, the ability to exist in multiple states at the same time. In this case, it could be massive and completely low-mass at the same time.

Joshua Foo, a PhD researcher in theoretical physics at the University of Queensland, said: "We wanted to see if black holes could have very different masses at the same time. Or not and it turned out that they have. Whether black holes themselves exhibit the strange and surprising behavior of quantum physics has not yet been fully explored.

The best known example of quantum superposition is the Schrdinger's Cat experiment, a thought experiment by The early 20th century physicist Erwin Schrdinger was designed to illustrate some of the key issues of quantum physics. According to quantum theories, subatomic particles exist simultaneously as long as they do not interact with the outside world. They exist in several modes. And this interaction, which can be even a simple act of measurement or observation, throws the particle into one of the possible states. because according to it the cat in the locked box can be dead and alive at the same time based on the random behavior of atoms; Until an observer breaks the superposition.

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But it was found that while a cat in a box, Regardless of the observer's actions, it may be dead, a quantum particle may actually exist in a dual state, and a new study suggests that so does a black hole.

Theoretical physicist Jacob Bekenstein. (Jacob Bekenstein) was the first person to suggest that black holes have quantum properties. Since a black hole is defined by its mass, its quantum superposition must mean that this strange gravitational gate can have multiple masses arranged in certain ratios.

Magdalena Zych, physicist "Our modeling showed that these aggregated masses are, in fact, in certain bands or ratios, as Bekenstein predicted," said one of the leaders of the new study. We didn't think such a pattern really existed and we were surprised by these findings."

Although this new understanding does not bring us any closer to explaining what goes on inside black holes, it is in any case much more amazing than we could have imagined. Let's do it.

Cover photo: A graphic design of the quantum behavior of a black hole
Credit: NightCafe Creator AI

Source: Space