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A team of physicists tested pseudo‑complex General Relativity (pcGR), an extended version of Einstein’s theory, within Hořava‑Lifshitz gravity. This latter proposal introduces a minimal length scale and anisotropic scaling to regularize equations at ultra‑high energies. The goal? To see if combining the two ideas can solve the biggest problem in physics: the singularity at a black hole’s core.

Starting from the classic Schwarzschild black hole, the authors derived the Wheeler‑deWitt equation for pcGR, obtaining a quantized description of the gravitational field. Using perturbative methods and semiclassical approximations, they examined the solutions and found that the non‑linear terms in the Hořava‑Lifshitz action, especially those linked to extrinsic curvature (the kinetic energy of space‑{time} fabric

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Pseudo‑complexity introduces an extended algebra of complex numbers, where coordinates are pairs (x, y) with y = ℓ · p, ℓ being the minimal length and p the momentum. This extension modifies the metric tensor g_{μν} → g_{μν} + ℓ^2 K_{μν}, with K_{μν} an additional curvature tensor. Within Hořava‑Lifshitz, the anisotropic scaling z = 3 adds higher‑order spatial derivatives, stabilizing ultraviolet fluctuations. The Wheeler‑deWitt equation quantizes the super‑Hamiltonian ĤΨ = 0, with Ψ the wavefunction of the metric. The presence of ℓ yields an effective potential V_eff(r) ∝ ℓ^2/r^4 that dominates at short distances over the classical −GM/r term, preventing curvature divergence. Extrinsic curvature contributions (K_{ij}K^{ij}−λK^2) generate terms like (∂_t g_{ij})^2 which, upon quantization, become quadratic momentum operators, providing a repulsive quantum pressure. This pressure resembles a dark‑energy fluid with w≈−1, but localized near r ≈ ℓ, suggesting a link between singularity resolution and vacuum energy accumulation. Moreover, Lorentz‑symmetry breaking at high scales introduces a natural cutoff, bypassing traditional renormalization. In short, pcGR within Hořava‑Lifshitz offers a self‑consistent mechanism to smooth singularities, generate quantum repulsive pressure, and potentially explain dark energy via quantized extrinsic curvature terms.

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Authors:
Peter O. Hess
Date Published:
Original Article www.mdpi.com
Fact-check verified on 13/06/2026
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Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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