<ul><li>New calculations by black hole expert Heino Falcke and team suggest white dwarf stars will decay away to nothingness in around 10^78 years, much sooner than previous estimates of at least 10^100 years.</li><li>Previous calculations assumed white dwarfs decay via pyconuclear fusion, but the new study also considers Hawking radiation as an alternative mechanism causing objects to evaporate away into nothingness.</li><li>The trio calculated that white dwarfs will dissipate in around 10^78 years, while denser objects such as black holes and neutron stars will vanish in no more than 10^67 years. Less dense objects such as humans could persist for up to 10^90 years.</li><li>The study aims to better understand the theory by considering extreme cases like the dissipation of various objects via Hawking radiation, potentially leading to unravelling the mystery of this phenomenon.</li></ul>

Universe may end much sooner than predicted, say theorists

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