Two supermassive black holes on the verge of a merger
In March 2021, astronomers observed a high-energy burst of light from a distant galaxy. Assigned the name AT 2021hdr, it was thought to be...
Early black holes fed 40x faster than should be possible
The theory goes that black holes accrete material, often from nearby stars.
However the theory also suggests there is a limit to how big a...
How did supermassive black holes get so big, so early
Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) can have billions of solar masses, and observational evidence suggests that all large galaxies have one at their centres.
However, the...
A star disappeared in Andromeda, replaced by a black hole
Massive stars about eight times more massive than the Sun explode as supernovae at the end of their lives.
The explosions, which leave behind a...
Feasting black hole found devouring matter at unbelievable speeds in early universe
Astronomers have discovered a black hole in the early universe that is consuming matter at an astonishing rate—more than 40 times the theoretical limit.
This...
Another way to extract energy from black holes?
The gravitational field of a rotating black hole is powerful and strange.
It is so powerful that it warps space and time back upon itself,...
Scientists discover new clues about black hole jets
A new study led by the University of Michigan reveals fascinating insights into how black holes shoot out powerful streams of high-energy particles, known...
Scientists discover the first “black hole triple”
Physicists at MIT and Caltech have made an unexpected discovery—a “black hole triple” system, the first of its kind ever found.
While most black holes...
A black hole has destroyed a star, and used the wreckage to pummel another...
When a supermassive black hole consumes a star, it doesn’t just swallow it whole. It shreds the star, ripping it apart bit by bit...
This black hole destroys a star and targets another
Astronomers have made a fascinating discovery: a supermassive black hole destroyed a star and is now using the debris from that star to smash...