Resolution of Hawking’s information-loss paradox

Resolve whether black-hole evaporation preserves quantum information by developing a consistent theory that reconciles general relativity with quantum mechanics, thereby settling Hawking’s information-loss paradox.

Background

The information-loss paradox challenges the compatibility of quantum unitarity with semiclassical gravity predictions of black-hole evaporation. It remains one of the most prominent open problems at the intersection of gravity and quantum theory. The authors explicitly identify the paradox as an open question, underscoring the broader context within which tests of general relativity with gravitational waves are conducted.

References

Nevertheless, there are open questions associated to BHs, such as their stability [21-24], the existence of singularities inside their event horizon [25], and Hawking's information-loss paradox [26, 27].

— Black Hole Spectroscopy and Tests of General Relativity with GW250114  (2509.08099 - Collaboration et al., 9 Sep 2025) in Introduction

However, the firewall paradox, which concerns the experience of an infalling observer, remains open.

— Blast freezing a black hole  (2609.28962 - Akhtar et al., 24 Sep 2026) in Section 1, “Black-hole information and evaporation”