A giant spiral galaxy with powerful jets from a black hole has shocked scientists, because it shows that even galaxies like ours can release dangerous radiation at some point.
Astronomers have discovered a spiral galaxy nearly a billion light-years away that has a supermassive black hole that is emitting enormous jets of energy, something once thought possible only in elliptical galaxies.
This discovery not only changes our current models of galaxy evolution but also suggests that the Milky Way could one day unleash similar jets that could endanger life on Earth. The galaxy, three times larger than the Milky Way, defies expectations by remaining structurally intact despite extreme forces. It also holds important clues about dark energy and the evolution of the universe, expanding our understanding of them.
A terrifying glimpse into one of the possible fates of our Milky Way galaxy has been revealed thanks to the discovery of a cosmic anomaly that is changing our understanding of the universe.
A team of astronomers has found in a massive spiral galaxy about a billion light-years from us a supermassive black hole with a mass billions of times that of the Sun that provides energy to enormous radio jets six million light-years long.
It is among the largest known of all spiral galaxies, and contradicts conventional wisdom about galaxy evolution, as jets this powerful are found almost exclusively in elliptical, non-spiral galaxies.
It also means that the Milky Way could potentially create similar energy jets in the future and the cosmic rays, gamma rays, and X-rays they create would wreak havoc on our solar system due to the increased radiation and potential to cause mass extinctions on Earth.
"This discovery is more than just an oddity – it forces us to rethink how galaxies evolve, and how supermassive black holes grow within them and shape their environment," said lead author Professor Joydeep Bagchi.
"If a spiral galaxy can not only survive but also thrive in such extreme conditions, what does this say about the future of galaxies like our Milky Way?"
"Is it possible that our galaxy will at some point experience similar high-energy phenomena that would have serious implications for the survival of life there?"
The Milky Way has a four million solar-mass black hole at its center, Sagittarius A, but it is currently in a very quiet and dormant state.
That could change if a gas cloud, a star or even a small dwarf galaxy were to be engulfed (in effect eaten), the scientists said, potentially triggering significant jet activity. Such events are called tidal disruption events, and several have been observed in other galaxies, but not for the Milky Way.
If jets as large as these are launched from Sagittarius A, their impact will depend on their strength, direction and energy output, the researchers said.
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Of course, it's all nonsense. Only what is written in the Torah is true. The rabbis are the right scientists and they serve the government and the government serves them, especially the current one here and in the US...