Hawking radiation research. Future space probe approaching a black hole to capture Hawking radiation (blue glow). A black hole is formed when the core

---

Hawking radiation research. Future space probe approaching a black hole to capture Hawking radiation (blue glow). A black hole is formed when the core of a star collapses under its own weight, increasing the strength of its gravitational field to the point where usually nothing, not even light, can escape. Hawking radiation, however, consists of particle-antiparticle pairs formed from the quantum vacuum, with one particle falling into the black hole and the other escaping by quantum tunnelling. This mechanism allows small black holes to rapidly evaporate.

---

Size: 4228px × 4228px
Photo credit: © RICHARD KAIL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, black, composite, digitally, evaporation, event, future, futuristic, glow, glowing, gravitation, gravity, hawking, hole, horizon, light, manipulated, montage, observing, pair, pairs, particle-antiparticle, photomontage, physics, probe, quantum, radiation, research, researching, sampling, singularity, space, spacecraft, spaceflight, studying, tunnelling, universe, vacuum