The information paradox on black holes was resolved by Prof Stephen Hawking when he rejected his earlier theory that they irretrievably swallow up everything, writes Daniel McConnell
Internationally renowned scientist Prof Stephen Hawking announced in Dublin yesterday that he had solved one of the "major problems in theoretical physics".
His new theory, however, which states that information can actually be recovered from black holes, is unlikely to end the long-standing debate within the science community that has been running for over 30 years.
Prof Hawking presented the breakthrough theory as part of a lecture at the GR17 international conference on General Relativity and Gravitation at the RDS.
The discovery is seen as a significant event in the science world.
Black holes were often thought of as being void areas of space into which energy and matter can fall and disappear forever. In 1974 Prof Hawking discovered that, in fact, they are not completely "black" but that they emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation. This discovery led to what has been known as the information paradox on black holes which has puzzled the international science community ever since.
Addressing the packed conference and the large international press gathering, Prof Hawking said: "It is great to solve a problem that has been troubling me for nearly 30 years, even though the answer is less exciting than the alternative I suggested."
Prof Hawking conceded that his previous theory that all information was lost was incorrect and the assembled crowd witnessed the conclusion of a long-standing bet between him, Prof Kip Thorne and Prof John Preskill.
Seven years ago, with a resolution of the information paradox in mind, Prof Hawking and Prof Thorne made the wager against Prof Preskill that information swallowed by black holes could never be recovered.
Yesterday, Prof Hawking presented Prof Preskill with the encyclopaedia of his choice, Total Baseball, as a prize. Prof Thorne has yet to concede the point as he feels he needs more information before coming to a conclusion on the matter.
The three academics are considered to be the leading minds in this area. Prof Thorne delivered a lecture to the conference on Monday evening entitled "Probing the universe and black holes with gravitational waves". He stated that it would be possible to examine black holes in "exquisite detail" within the next decade.
Prof Hawking (62), who suffers from motor neurone disease, used a specially-designed computer to deliver his lecture. The author of the best-selling A Brief History of Time, the Cambridge professor began his address with his trademark greeting, "Can you hear me?".
He received a warm reception from the crowd and answered a number of questions from the media following his lecture.
There were some dissenting opinions expressed, however, that the new theory lacked adequate detail to be considered properly.
The GR17 conference is the latest in a triennial series and is being held in Dublin for the first time.
More than 680 delegates from almost 50 countries are in attendance this week for what is regarded as the principal international meeting in the areas of relativity and gravitation. The President, Mrs McAleese, officially opened the conference on Monday.
Despite being treated for pneumonia in hospital earlier this year, Prof Hawking has conducted a worldwide lecture tour.
He was a late addition to the conference schedule.
The conference chairman, Prof Petros Florides, of Trinity College, Dublin said: "Everyone connected with GR17 was thrilled at the prospect of his attendance.
"As scientists we are told to believe that nothing travels as quick as light, but since Stephen Hawking confirmed he was to appear here in Dublin, the rate at which word has spread, that theory may need to be rethought."