Ertaul, L. S., “Beyond the Singularity: White Holes and The Fate of Black Holes”, STEM Fellowship Journal, 2026. (under review)
Abstract
White holes, the time-reversed counterparts of black holes, have reemerged in recent years as a serious topic of inquiry in quantum gravity. This review examines the framework developed by Carlo Rovelli and collaborators, which proposes that black holes do not end in singularities but instead undergo a quantum bounce, transitioning into long-lived white hole remnants. A targeted review of recent theoretical literature, including key studies by Rovelli and collaborators on white hole remnants and Planck stars, as well as supporting expository sources, is used to synthesize this framework. The results indicate that quantum gravitational effects at the Planck scale resolve classical singularities through a bounce mechanism, while a subsequent quantum tunneling process enables the transition from a black hole to a white hole. Within this model, the black hole information paradox is addressed by allowing information to be preserved and gradually released during the white hole phase, maintaining unitarity. Although direct observational evidence remains limited, the internal consistency and mathematical clarity of this framework make it a compelling candidate for describing the ultimate fate of black holes and resolving one of the central paradoxes in modern theoretical physics.
Ertaul, L. S., “White Holes: From Quantum Remnants to Planck Stars — A Review”, The Columbia Junior Science Journal, 2025 (Semi-Finalist)
Abstract. White holes are theoretical objects predicted by general relativity as the time-reversed counterparts of black holes. Although they have not been observed, they are studied for their potential to address unresolved questions such as singularities and information loss. In this research, I explore how modern theoretical ideas, particularly those involving quantum effects, suggest that matter collapsing into a black hole could eventually re-emerge. I also examine key challenges, including stability, timescales, and the lack of observational evidence. While still speculative, white holes offer a compelling way to explore the intersection of general relativity and quantum physics.
Ertaul, L. S., “Statistical Analysis of Stratospheric Ozone Trends Over The San Francisco Bay Area”, International Journal of High School Research (IJHSR), Vol 7, Issue 11, pp. 68-77, DOI: 10.36838/v7i11.68, 2025
IJHSR CERT. (This paper is listed in the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC))
Abstract. Stratospheric ozone plays a critical role in shielding life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. This study investigates ozone variability over the San Francisco Bay Area by applying a variety of statistical methods on NASA’s OMI OMTO3d (2004–2025) and OMPS NMTO3-L3_DAILY (2012–2025) datasets. Results revealed strong seasonal variation, with ozone levels peaking in April–May and dipping in October–November, consistent with Brewer-Dobson circulation and sunlight cycles. A gradual upward trend suggests gradual ozone recovery following the Montreal Protocol. Spectral analysis confirmed a dominant annual cycle. Solar influence was investigated using sunspot data from WDC-SILSO’s (World Data Center for Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations) Northern Hemisphere records; however, Granger causality testing indicated a weak predictive relationship at short lags (p<0.07), but not significant under standard criteria (p<0.05) between sunspots and ozone levels. Cross-correlation analysis revealed a moderate association. This research provides new insights into regional ozone behavior and highlights the importance of continued localized monitoring.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this study, I analyzed stratospheric ozone trends over the San Francisco Bay Area using a suite of statistical techniques to assess ozone layer recovery and investigate contributing factors. My results reveal a gradual upward trend in ozone levels over time, suggesting a slow but steady recovery, and show evidence of a faint time-lagged correlation between solar activity, specifically sunspot cycles, and ozone variability.
I used satellite data from NASA’s Aura (OMI OMTO3d) and Suomi NPP (OMPS NMTO3-L3_DAILY) missions, applying linear regression, winsorization, rolling averages, and spectral analysis to detect seasonal trends and long-term behavior. A key finding emerged when I discovered a data anomaly in NASA’s OMI OMTO3d dataset. After I reported it, NASA confirmed the error, corrected the dataset, and formally acknowledged my contribution. They also recommended incorporating the higher-quality OMPS dataset into my research, which I subsequently did. To explore the potential influence of solar activity, I used sunspot data from the World Data Center for Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, applying Granger causality and cross-correlation tests. Granger testing did not indicate statistically significant results under the conventional threshold of p < 0.05, but I observed weak correlations at 1- and 2-month lags using a relaxed threshold of p < 0.07. Cross-correlation analysis revealed moderate associations at an 11-month lag, suggesting that solar cycles may influence ozone levels with a delay, though they are unlikely to be the primary driver.
This research is significant in the context of global ozone recovery efforts since the Montreal Protocol. While global studies often emphasize polar regions, I believe localized investigations like this one are essential for understanding how regional ozone behaves and responds to broader atmospheric changes. Additionally, my successful identification and correction of a NASA dataset error underscores the value of open scientific data and highlights the impact of student contributions to environmental science.
Ertaul, L. S, “3Body Problem: Can it be used for Cryptographically Secure Pseudorandom Number Generator (CSPRNG)?”, American Council on Science and Education, The 2025 World congress in Computer Science, Computer Engineering & Applied Computing (CSCE), SAM 25- The 2025 International Conference on Security and Management, July 21-24, Las Vegas, USA, 2025.
Security and Management, Wireless Networks, Software Engineering Research and Practice. CSCE 2025. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 2937. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-22208-4_10
Abstract. This study investigates whether the chaotic dynamics of the three-body problem can be used to generate cryptographically secure pseudorandom numbers (CSPRNs). By simulating gravitational interactions among three celestial bodies, high-entropy data was extracted from their evolving positions and momenta and converted into a 27-million-bit binary sequence. These sequences were evaluated using the NIST SP 800-22 test suite, where all subsets (1M–10M bits) passed all 15 statistical tests at the 0.01 significance level. Additional next-bit prediction and autocorrelation analyses confirmed the sequences’ unpredictability and their similarity to white noise, supporting their randomness and suitability for cryptographic use. The results demonstrate that the three-body problem can serve as a physics-based entropy source for generating statistically robust pseudorandom sequences, potentially suitable for applications like key generation and secure hashing etc. Furthermore, the enormous seed space of the three-body system, exceeding 10 to the power 300 possible configurations, offers strong resistance to brute-force attacks and reverse-engineering.
BOOKS
“Echoes from a White Hole” by Lara Ertaul, Published by Amazon, ASIN : B0GX38YLGB, 04/16/2026.
An impossible signal. A message from the past. A universe that remembers.
In the year 2485, aboard the Interplanetary Observatory orbiting Mars, seventeen-year old Aral detects something that should not exist. A quantum signal from Earth, sent over four centuries ago. Encoded within it is a warning, a set of coordinates, and a mystery that defies the laws of physics.
As Aral and her team decode the transmission, they uncover a truth far more dangerous than they imagined. The signal is not only traveling through space, but through time. It is connected to a white hole, an anomaly that may hold the key to the universe’s deepest secret.
What begins as a scientific discovery quickly becomes a race against causality itself. A hidden system known as ALARUS awakens, blurring the boundaries between memory, music, and reality. As time fractures and the fabric of existence begins to unravel, Aral realizes she is not just observing the phenomenon. She is part of it.
Pulled into a realm where past, present, and future collide, she must face a choice that will determine the fate of the universe. Should everything be remembered, or must some things be forgotten for reality to survive?
Blending scientific imagination with lyrical storytelling, Echoes from a White Hole is a breathtaking science fiction journey about time, identity, and the echoes we leave behind.
“A Legend” by Lara Ertaul, Published by Amazon, ASIN: BOFN4MJKKL, 09/16/2025.
Rome, 166 CE. Lucilla, daughter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, is ordered to marry a powerful senator in the name of duty and alliance. But she refuses to be traded as a pawn in the empire’s politics. Choosing freedom over obedience, she escapes the palace in disguise, leaving behind the only life she has ever known.
On the empire’s frontier she reinvents herself as Lucian, a nameless wanderer who seeks refuge among the Marcomanni, Rome’s fiercest enemies. There she endures grueling trials of combat, proving her worth to warriors hardened by battle. Yet freedom proves fragile when Rome strikes back, shattering her new life and dragging her in chains to the gladiator schools.
In the arena she is forced to fight for survival. Disguised as a man, Lucilla rises to fame as a gladiator unlike any Rome has seen. Swift, precise, and unyielding, she captures the crowd’s adoration even as enemies draw closer. Rivals question her secret, leaders view her as a threat, and her father struggles between his love as a parent and his duty as emperor.
From the forests of the frontier to the sands of the Colosseum, Lucilla’s journey is a tale of rebellion, resilience, and sacrifice. She battles not only Rome’s legions but also the silence forced upon every daughter of the empire. Her final act of defiance transforms her from a forgotten captive into a symbol of courage that no empire can erase.
A Legend is a sweeping story of love, loss, and the fight for identity, set against the power and brutality of ancient Rome.
SCIENCE WITH LARA 
