From: rloldershaw@amherst.edu   
      
   On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 7:17:16 AM UTC-4, Jos Bergervoet wrote:   
      
   >   
   > This situation does not at all mean that the question cannot be   
   > answered empirically. The only thing needed is to detect it (for   
   > the first time). Since the properties of Hawking radiation are   
   > very clear and unambiguous, such a detection would settle the   
   > question quite easily. So the problem is merely the present   
   > unavailability of a relatively small black hole (in the late   
   > stages of evaporation). As soon as we have one, the Hawking   
   > radiation question can be answered empirically without a problem!   
   >   
   Researchers have looked and looked. No signal consistent with   
   "Hawking radiation" has ever been observed. So much faith in something   
   that only exists on paper! And this without any credible theory of   
   quantum gravity. Wouldn't some healthy skepticism, or at least an   
   acknowledgement of uncertainty, be a bit more respectable from a   
   scientific standpoint?   
      
   [[Mod. note -- I wasn't aware that researchers have "looked and looked"   
   for Hawking radiation (with any sensitivity that could reasonably be   
   expected to lead to a successful detection).  On the contrary, the   
   problem is that current technology is (vastly) not sensitive enough   
   to detect Hawking radiation from known black holes.  Perhaps you could   
   give a reference to the experimental searches?   
   -- jt]]   
      
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