This short paper proposes a conceptual duality between gravitational energy and vacuum energy levels. In this framework, gravitational energy accumulated in extreme spacetime curvature—such as inside black holes—is interpreted as a shift in the vacuum energy level of spacetime. The transition between vacuum states is assumed to occur discretely rather than continuously, producing a localized region where the vacuum energy level is lowered. The released energy from this vacuum transition can drive rapid spacetime expansion, providing a possible mechanism for cosmic inflation and the birth of new universes. This gravity–vacuum energy duality provides a unified conceptual bridge between black hole physics, vacuum phase transitions, and cosmological inflation.
Takaaki Sueoka (2026) studied this question.