The cosmic censorship hypothesis is a proposal in general relativity suggesting that singularities—points in spacetime where gravity becomes infinite—are always hidden from outside observers by an event horizon, such as that of a black hole. In other words, naked singularities, which would expose the breakdown of physical laws, do not occur in nature.
This idea was introduced by physicist Roger Penrose to preserve the predictability of physics. If singularities were visible (not hidden behind horizons), the laws of physics would become unpredictable in those regions, undermining our ability to understand and model the universe.
There are two versions:
- Weak cosmic censorship: Singularities cannot be seen from infinity; they are always enclosed by event horizons.
- Strong cosmic censorship: Even inside black holes, spacetime remains predictable for as long as physically possible.
While the hypothesis has not been proven, it is supported by many theoretical models and simulations. However, certain exotic solutions to Einstein’s equations hint that under extreme or contrived conditions, naked singularities might form, challenging the hypothesis.
The cosmic censorship conjecture remains one of the most profound open questions in gravitational physics and the study of spacetime.