Snapshot 4:Wed, Jun 19, 2024 9:09:18 PM GMT last edited by NickBurk

Astronomers Discover Black Hole 'Waking Up'

Published JUN 19 2024

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Above: In this handout from NASA/ESA, an artist's concept illustrates a quasar, or feeding black hole. Image credit: Pool//Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Spin

Thanks to high-tech telescopes, scientists have been able to discover black holes, monitor their jets of electrons, and now observe their illumination of galaxies. As black holes have now been discovered in almost every galaxy, scientists will next be able to connect these mysterious phenomena to the creation of galaxies themselves. Not even light can escape these iconic cosmic enigmas.

Esahubble

DespiteWhen black hole discoveries are made, there are fears that one day, this cosmic phenomenon could cause the demise of planet Earth itself. There has indeed been a recent increase in observations of black holes "spotlighting" galaxies through their emission of radiation. However, fearsscientific thatevidence theirsuggests growththat couldblack oneholes dayare engulfnot the Earthouter arespace overblown.vacuum Thesecleaners celestialsome phenomenaclaim they are amazing— to observe and read aboutindeed, butlight they'remay certainly not thebe outerable spaceto vacuumescape, cleanersbut someEarth claimis they"unbelievably" aresafe.

Mashable

Metaculus Prediction

There's a 70% chance that gravitational waves from the merger of supermassive black holes will be detected by November 30, 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.