Star Collapse May Forge a Mini-Universe: Gravastars as Black Hole Alternatives

A new study proposes gravastars—ultra-compact objects formed when collapsing stars create a miniature universe inside, with dark-energy interiors that halt collapse and mimic black holes without horizons or singularities—offering a GR-consistent alternative to black holes. Yet the mechanism requires fine-tuning, questions of stability remain, and it’s unclear how such objects could be distinguished observationally; formation remains a key open problem.