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Dying radio galaxies reveal a shorter, more dynamic afterlife of black hole jets

Astronomers have discovered a new population of faint, rapidly fading remnant radio galaxies, revealing a shorter, more dynamic afterlife of black hole jets. The study found that these remnants are relatively young, with ages ranging from 8-42 million years, and span a wide range of evolutionary stages.

SourceUniversity of Cape Town - Faculty of Science·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateAug 18, 2026

How black holes could nurture life

Researchers found that AGN radiation can have a paradoxically nurturing effect on life, especially when oxygen levels are present, allowing the planet's protective ozone layer to grow and shield it from radiation. This process can help ensure life's success, but its effects depend on how close the planet is to the source of radiation.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 21, 2025

DESI uncovers 300 new intermediate-mass black holes plus 2500 new active black holes in dwarf galaxies

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has discovered a treasure trove of actively feeding black holes in small galaxies, revealing surprisingly few are of intermediate mass. The team identified 300 new intermediate-mass black hole candidates and 2500 active black holes in dwarf galaxies.

Astronomers observe real-time formation of black hole jets for the first time

Astronomers have observed a phenomenon where a supermassive black hole forms plasma jets in real-time, marking the first-ever observation of this process. The discovery provides new insights into how black holes interact with their host galaxies and could help scientists understand the evolution of the universe.

SourceUniversity of Maryland Baltimore County·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeObservational study·DateJan 16, 2025

Seeing a black hole's jet in a new light

A team of researchers has discovered a new pattern in the high-energy jet of particles blasted by the supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy Centaurus A. The study found that the speed of one knot in the X-ray jet was at least 94% the speed of light, significantly faster than previously measured speeds using radio observations.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateOct 28, 2024

How do supermassive black holes get super massive?

A team of researchers used a hybrid approach to track the growth of supermassive black holes, finding that accretion dominated growth in most cases. Mergers made notable contributions, especially for massive black holes over the past 5 billion years.

SourcePenn State·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 11, 2024

Astronomers detect an extremely red supermassive black hole in the early universe growing in the shadows

A team of astronomers has detected a gravitationally lensed supermassive black hole in the early universe, which was found to be significantly more massive than its host galaxy. The discovery, made using images from the James Webb Space Telescope, revealed the black hole's unique red color and confirmed it as a supermassive black hole.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 26, 2024

HETDEX reveals galaxy gold mine in first large survey

Astronomers have cataloged over 51,863 Lyman-alpha-emitting galaxies, 123,891 star-forming galaxies, and 4,976 active galactic nuclei using HETDEX's spectroscopic data. The survey is a non-targeted, moon-sized survey that collects spectra from 35,000 fiber optic cables, providing a unique dataset for future galaxy mapping.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin, Texas Advanced Computing Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2023

Black hole discovered firing jets at neighboring galaxy

Astronomers have discovered a rare system featuring a black hole spewing a jet at a neighboring galaxy, providing insights into radio jet feedback and its impact on star formation. The unique nature of RAD12 has allowed researchers to study the interaction between the black hole's jet and the companion galaxy.

SourceRoyal Astronomical Society·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateOct 12, 2022

Astrophysicists prove neutrinos originate from Blazars

A team of scientists led by Clemson University's Marco Ajello has provided conclusive evidence that astrophysical neutrinos come from blazars, which are powerful black holes. This breakthrough resolves the long-standing question about the origin of high-energy cosmic rays.

SourceClemson University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 14, 2022

Astronomers discover how to feed a black hole

Researchers have discovered long narrow dust filaments that surround and feed supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies. These filaments could be the natural cause of darkening at the centers of many galaxies when nuclear black holes are active, providing a new perspective on their behavior.

SourceInstituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC)·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·TypeObservational study·DateJul 29, 2021

How the brightest lights in the universe 'flicker'

Astronomers discover active galactic nuclei (AGN) exhibit flickering behavior, switching on and off every 200,000 years. This phenomenon affects star formation in host galaxies, with radiation from AGN potentially delaying or preventing the collapse of gas clouds.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateJun 24, 2015