Why does Carbon return the current time if it is NULL in the database?

Question

Laravel

I get the publication time:

{{ \Carbon\Carbon::parse($blog->published_at)->format('d.m.Y H:i')}}

If it is NULL in the database, the current time is displayed. How to display an empty field instead of the current date?
Should I parseuse another method instead?

Answer 1

$date ? $date : ''

Answer 2

Maybe the time() function is used which, without parameters, displays the current time. Or another function with similar behavior.
Wrap in a condition what to display, only if the date value is not null.
Or go to the carbon class and see how it is implemented there.