Quasar origins have been a mystery to astrophysicists since they discovered these quasi-stellar radio sources sixty years ago. Find out how a team of researchers have discovered that quasars ignite when galaxies collide.
Tag: Black Holes
Brightest Gamma-Ray Burst Ever Unveils Cosmic Mysteries
Gamma-ray bursts are explosions so powerful they outshine our entire galaxy. Find out how scientists detected the brightest gamma-ray burst ever observed, and what it means for our understanding of the universe.
Massive Early Galaxies Discovery Could Be ‘Universe Breaker”
Massive early galaxies emerged from a review of the James Webb Space Telescope’s first dataset. Find out why current science says they shouldn’t exist, and what this means for our understanding of the Big Bang and galaxy formation.
‘Black Widow’ Binary Star Found – Shortest Orbit Ever
Black widow binary stars consist of a neutron star consuming a nearby companion star. Find out how scientists used a new technique to find one of these rare systems, and why their discovery has two other unique characteristics.
Quasar Discovery Challenges Black Hole Theories
A quasar discovery suggests that stars existed much earlier than scientists thought. Find out why this challenges our understanding of black hole formation. (5:00 min read)
Habitable Planets Orbiting Black Holes
Habitable planets orbiting a black hole are the setting for the Christoper Nolan film "Interstellar." Find out what scientists found when they considered the possibility in real life. (4:30 min read)
Three Black Holes Colliding in Galaxy’s Core
Three black holes were discovered in the core of the nearby galaxy NGC 6240 by scientists at the University of Gottingen. Find out how they did it, and what it means for our understanding of the story of our universe. (3:30 min read)
Dark Matter: Is That What’s at the Centre of the Milky Way?
Dark Matter has been detected at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. Or has it? Catch up on the debate and find out why it matters in the story of the universe. (4:00 min read)
Is Planet X a Black Hole?
Scientists have been proposing a new "Planet X" in our solar system. Now two scientists suggest that it's a black hole. Find out why.
Dark Energy Mystery Solved by Fixing the Math?
Does correcting an error in the way cosmologists applied Einstein's equations solve the mystery we call Dark Energy?