New research reveals more black holes than expected in the early universe.
Friday, 18 Oct 2024 13:05:40 Astronomers are shocked by the appearance of a massive and mysterious black hole near Earth (©© 2024 NASA)
Amazing Black Hole Discovery
Black holes are one of the deepest mysteries in the universe, and new research shows that there are far more of them than previously thought.
This research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to discover previously undetected black holes. By comparing space images taken 15 years ago, scientists managed to identify more black holes based on changes in the brightness of celestial objects.
Anyone else asking too?
Quoting CNET, Friday (18/10), this process is carried out by observing the brightness of several celestial objects. When black holes absorb matter from nearby objects, known as accretion, they become temporarily brighter.
After the material is absorbed, the black hole will become dimmer again. By studying 15 years of data, the researchers were able to identify these brightness changes and discover more black holes.
Why is this discovery important?
Matthew Hayes, lead author of the study, explains, “It turns out that there are several times more black holes present in typical early galaxies than we previously thought.” This discovery is also in line with recent research conducted with the James Webb Telescope, which is starting to lead to similar conclusions. With a greater number of black holes, the problem of how supermassive black holes could form in early galaxies can now be solved.
A problem that scientists previously faced was how supermassive black holes could exist in early galaxies. According to Matthews, during the accretion process, black holes produce enormous amounts of radiation, which limits how fast black holes can grow. Most supermassive black holes that exist from the early days of the universe appear to be larger than they should be, because they have not had enough time to absorb enough matter to grow that large.
New Theory of Black Hole Formation
Alice Young, co-author of the study, stated, “Many of these objects appear to be more massive than we thought at very early times — either they formed very large or grew very quickly.” According to Matthews, the existence of large numbers of black holes opens up new possibilities for how they form. There are too many black holes for them all to form by the same method.
Matthews explains, “Stars form through the gravitational contraction of gas clouds: if large numbers of dark matter particles could be captured during the contraction phase, then the internal structure could be completely modified — and nuclear activation could be prevented.” This allows the growth of black holes to last much longer than the lifetime of a typical star, so they can become much larger.
Implications of This Discovery for Astronomy
In other words, supermassive black holes in the early universe may have originated from dark stars that accumulated matter and then eventually collapsed into supermassive black holes. This explains why large black holes existed before their supposed time. Matthews added that the next step is to use the James Webb Telescope and higher sensitivity to learn more about these black holes and find out how many of them actually existed in the early universe.
This discovery not only provides new insights into the evolution of black holes, but also into how galaxies form and evolve over time. Further research is expected to answer more questions regarding the mystery of black holes and their role in the history of the universe.
New research reveals more black holes than expected in the early universe.
Friday, 18 Oct 2024 13:05:40 — Astronomers are shocked by the appearance of a massive and mysterious black hole near Earth (©© 2024 NASA).
Amazing Black Hole Discovery
Hold onto your telescopes, folks! We’re diving into a cosmic buffet of black holes — and it turns out there are more of them than your local pub on quiz night! Recent research has shown that black holes are not just hiding; they’re practically throwing a rave in the early universe, and astronomers have just brought a much better flashlight to the party!
Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the study uses NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to spot these elusive dark parties by comparing space images from 15 years ago. The trick? They’re monitoring the brightness of celestial objects. You see, when black holes snatch up nearby matter, they’re bathed in a nice glow… for a while. Kind of like me after a two-for-one drink special — bright and dazzling until the hangover kicks in!
Why is this discovery important?
In the wise words of Matthew Hayes, the mastermind behind this study, “It turns out that there are several times more black holes present in typical early galaxies than we previously thought.” Well, that’s a plot twist! It seems like the old ‘we’ve got enough black holes already’ theory just got a serious upgrade, much like going from dial-up to fiber optic internet!
This discovery poses a solution to a cosmic conundrum: how could supermassive black holes exist in the early universe when they seemed to lack the time (or food, for that matter) to grow big enough? But fear not! It appears these black holes might have been munching away more than we gave them credit for — no leftovers in sight!
New Theory of Black Hole Formation
Alice Young, the co-founder of this cosmic revolution, chimed in, “Many of these objects appear to be more massive than we thought at very early times.” Wow, it’s like finding out your grandma bakes the best cakes while you thought she only made biscuits!
So, why this sudden abundance of black holes? Matthews suggests that during formation, if a large number of dark matter particles played nice during the contraction phase, it could lead to black holes growing like they were on a cosmic protein shake binge! These little munchers would have a much longer growth spurt than your average star — talk about hitting the gym!
Implications of This Discovery for Astronomy
In layman’s terms, these supermassive black holes might have been born from dark stars that not only bulked up but then collapsed under their own weight — talk about dramatic flair! Matthews wrapped up with a promise that there’s still more to come. With the James Webb Telescope at the ready, astronomers are about to launch into a deeper exploration of these black holes, not unlike trying to find your friend in a packed nightclub.
This revelation doesn’t just expand our understanding of black holes, it reshapes how we think galaxies themselves came to be. As we unravel the mystery of black holes, we’re stitching together the very quilt of our cosmic history. So, here’s to black holes — the universe’s way of keeping us guessing and keeping our telescopes busy!
