The complex secrets of black hole entropy can be explained by a simple 3D geometric lattice rather than ten-dimensional string theory.
April 26, 2026
Original Paper
Bekenstein-Hawking Entropy from the FCC Selection Stitch Model A Geometric Derivation via Z2/U(1) Horizon Phase Boundary
SSRN · 6646747
The Takeaway
Bekenstein-Hawking entropy describes how much information a black hole can hold based on its surface area. This study derives that exact law using a Face-Centred Cubic lattice geometry, the same pattern found in a stack of oranges. It achieves this without needing any free parameters or the extra dimensions required by string theory. This suggests that the fundamental structure of space-time near a black hole might be a physical grid. It provides a much simpler way to think about how gravity and information interact at the edge of an event horizon. This geometric approach could finally bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and general relativity.
From the abstract
We derive the Bekenstein-Hawking area law S = A/(4ℓ_P²) directly from the geometry of the Face-Centred Cubic (FCC) Selection Stitch Model (SSM) lattice, without invoking string theory, a free Immirzi parameter, or a thermodynamic limit. In the SSM, a black hole is a macroscopic region in which every K = 12 FCC node is saturated with topological defects, rendering the interior a static Z₂ codespace. The event horizon is the 2D boundary separating this Z₂ interior from the physical U(1) exterior.W