Hawking Stars: A Deep Dive into Stars that Could Harbor Black Holes

Astronomers are delving into a profound cosmological concept known as Hawking Stars, named after the legendary physicist Stephen Hawking. These hypothetical stars are believed to house black holes within them, termed primordial black holes. Formed in the aftermath of the Big Bang due to density fluctuations, these black holes could range from the size of atoms to entire stars. Though yet to be directly observed, these primordial black holes are proposed candidates for the elusive dark matter due to their early formation in the universe's history.

The Theory of Hawking Stars

Hawking's groundbreaking research suggests that smaller primordial black holes would evaporate swiftly, while larger ones would do so at a slower pace. This difference in evaporation rates could allow them to be captured by stars during their formation, leading to the creation of Hawking Stars. Inside these stars, the black holes would emit intense Hawking radiation, coexisting with their host stars without causing any damage.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Hawking Stars

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute have carried out extensive simulations to study the properties of Hawking Stars. Their findings propose that a Hawking Star, akin to our Sun, would lead a life identical to typical stars and would be indistinguishable using traditional observation techniques. However, the existence of such stars could provide vital insights into primordial black holes and their relationship with dark matter.

Hawking Stars and the Quest for Dark Matter

Interestingly, the pursuit of understanding Hawking Stars could also shed light on the search for dark matter. The primordial black holes captured by Hawking Stars might be substantial contributors to the enigmatic dark matter that permeates our universe. Furthermore, researchers speculate that these Hawking Stars might be more prevalent in globular clusters with older or population II stars. Such stars would have had more opportunities to capture primordial black holes, potentially housing more Hawking Stars within them.