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arXiv · 2108.07296

A critical appraisal of the singularity theorems

José M. M. Senovilla
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Abstract

The 2020 Nobel prize in Physics has revived the interest in the singularity theorems and, in particular, in the Penrose theorem published in 1965. In this short paper I briefly review the main ideas behind the theorems and then proceed to an evaluation of their hypotheses and implications. I will try to dispel some common misconceptions about the theorems and their conclusions, as well as to convey some of their rarely mentioned consequences. In particular, a discussion of spacetime extensions in relation to the theorems is provided. The nature of the singularity inside black holes is also analyzed.

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José M. M. Senovilla. 2021-08-16. A critical appraisal of the singularity theorems. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2021.0174

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