German physicists at the Max Planck Institute for Theoretical Physics have now created a new estimate of the amount entropy contained with a black hole — and that value suggests black holes are indeed two dimensions and not three.

“We were able to use a more complete and richer model compared with what [has been] done in the past …and obtain a far more realistic and robust result,” lead study author Daniele Pranzetti said in a news release.

The key to this new approach on black hole entropy has to do with something called Loop Quantum Gravity, as a way to explain quantum gravity. In quantum mechanics, gravity is caused by collections of grains that make up space-time, called quanta. Globs of quanta come together to create more powerful gravitational forces. Quanta collections in black holes are especially powerful.

What does this have to do with black holes? Even if we can’t see or measure what’s past the event horizon — and therefore can’t directly observe the black hole’s entropy — the collection of quanta can still be measured just outside the event horizon.