Hawking radiation is a theoretical prediction made by physicist Stephen Hawking in 1974, suggesting that black holes can emit radiation due to quantum effects near their event horizons. This radiation occurs when particle-antiparticle pairs form near the event horizon, with one particle falling into the black hole while the other escapes, leading to a gradual loss of mass for the black hole. As a result of this process, black holes can eventually evaporate over time, challenging the traditional view that nothing can escape from them. This groundbreaking idea has significant implications for our understanding of quantum mechanics and the fate of black holes in the universe.