Hawking Radiation and the Black Hole Information Paradox: A Review of Current Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

Hawking radiation is a theoretical prediction proposed by Stephen Hawking in 1974,

demonstrating that black holes can emit thermal radiation due to quantum effects near the event

horizon. This discovery introduced the Black Hole Information Paradox, a fundamental

challenge in theoretical physics that questions whether information is preserved during black

hole evaporation, as required by quantum mechanics, or lost through the process of Hawking

radiation. Resolving this paradox is essential for reconciling the principles of general relativity

and quantum mechanics. This review examines the fundamental properties of black holes, the

physics underlying Hawking radiation, the assumptions of semiclassical gravity, and major

proposed solutions to the information paradox, including black hole complementarity, the

AdS/CFT correspondence, and the Firewall Hypothesis. While no universally accepted

resolution currently exists, recent developments in quantum gravity suggest that information

may ultimately be preserved through mechanisms that remain an active area of research.