“General relativity works extraordinarily well in many settings, but when we run it back to the Big Bang, and apply it to the inside of black holes, it predicts a singularity: a moment where density, curvature and temperature formally become infinite. That is usually a sign that the theory is being pushed beyond where it can be trusted,” Afshordi told Space.com. “In other words, general relativity is likely incomplete for describing the very first moments of the universe, when quantum effects should also matter.”

Afshordi explained that in the standard picture of the Big Bang, scientists usually start with Einstein’s theory of gravity, then add extra ingredients to explain the earliest moments of the universe, most notably a hypothetical “inflation field” to account for the initial rapid expansion of the cosmos.”

It’s a longstanding pain point for physicists: Their theory of gravity, general relativity, predicts that a black hole must contain a singularity, a point where space and time are infinitely warped and the laws of physics break down.

Many researchers hope that a theory combining gravity and quantum mechanics—if it can ever be discovered—will someday remove the thorn. However, a full-fledged theory of quantum gravity may not be necessary, two theorists argue independently.

A pinch of quantum mechanics—in the form of an effect called Hawking radiation—may suffice, enabling a black hole to form, age, and evaporate without creating a singularity.

Hawking’s signature prediction may prevent vexing singularities from forming.