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New evidence points to two feeding black holes just 175 parsecs apart lurking in the early universe
Confirmed
In Short: Astronomers have discovered two feeding black holes in a galaxy dating back to when the universe was only about 3 billion years old, more than doubling the previous distance record for such a discovery.
According to stellar evolution models, there should be hundreds of millions of black holes floating around in our galaxy. This discovery, detailed in a new study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, provides direct evidence of black holes growing by finding and eventually swallowing one another.
The event was observed in the galaxy J0148-4214, which offers unusually direct evidence for this growth mechanism. The James Webb Space Telescope and other new observatories have been instrumental in looking back to the dawn of the universe.
Hannah Übler, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and lead author of the study, explained in a press release, “This is the first evidence of three active black holes in a single galaxy in the distant universe.”
The discovery of these black holes is significant because it challenges previous assumptions about the early universe. According to the models, infant galaxies should not have been able to support such massive black holes.
As a black hole passes in front of a star, the star's light bends around it, creating an effect typically called “microlensing.” This phenomenon allowed scientists to detect the black holes in J0148-4214.
The most powerful jets known are launched by the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. Yet once every 100,000 years or so, one of those stars will wander too close to the supermassive black hole lurking at the galaxy’s center and be torn apart.
The discovery of these black holes in J0148-4214 provides a unique opportunity to study the early universe and the formation of black holes.
Despite the invisibility of dark matter, scientists estimate it makes up roughly 85% of all matter in the universe.
The research team also found new evidence about how early human ancestors moved by comparing the strength of fossilized limb bones. The early Homo individuals, which lived about 1.8 million to 2.3 million years ago, showed a pattern resembling modern humans.
The attack brings the death toll to 205 in a series of U.S. strikes that began in early September, with other attacks announced on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
“I worked in a bipartisan way with my ranking Democrat. We sat down over the course of the summer and we cut out $11 billion of a $78 billion budget,” Rogers said.
“I’d like to be a part of the debate, too,” Albin said.
Background
Universe Today reports on a new method to extract energy directly from rotating black holes, a concept first proposed by physicist Roger Penrose in 1969.
What's confirmed
- According to stellar evolution models, there should be hundreds of millions of black holes floating around in our galaxy. This discovery, detailed in a new study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, provides direct evidence of black holes growing by finding and eventually swallowing one another.
- The event was observed in the galaxy J0148-4214, which offers unusually direct evidence for this growth mechanism. The James Webb Space Telescope and other new observatories have been instrumental in looking back to the dawn of the universe.
- The discovery of these black holes is significant because it challenges previous assumptions about the early universe. According to the models, infant galaxies should not have been able to support such massive black holes.
- As a black hole passes in front of a star, the star's light bends around it, creating an effect typically called “microlensing.” This phenomenon allowed scientists to detect the black holes in J0148-4214.
- The most powerful jets known are launched by the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. Yet once every 100,000 years or so, one of those stars will wander too close to the supermassive black hole lurking at the galaxy’s center and be torn apart.
- The discovery of these black holes in J0148-4214 provides a unique opportunity to study the early universe and the formation of black holes.
- Despite the invisibility of dark matter, scientists estimate it makes up roughly 85% of all matter in the universe.
- The research team also found new evidence about how early human ancestors moved by comparing the strength of fossilized limb bones. The early Homo individuals, which lived about 1.8 million to 2.3 million years ago, showed a pattern resembling modern humans.
- The attack brings the death toll to 205 in a series of U.S. strikes that began in early September, with other attacks announced on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
- “I worked in a bipartisan way with my ranking Democrat. We sat down over the course of the summer and we cut out $11 billion of a $78 billion budget,” Rogers said.
- “I’d like to be a part of the debate, too,” Albin said.
What's still developing
- A recent study examining a strange ripple in spacetime suggests that unusual gravitational-wave signals could carry evidence of invisible matter surrounding black holes.
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