Black holes

Flags of Israel and the European Union. Fruitful scientific cooperation. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Thirteen researchers from Israel have won the prestigious ERC Consolidator grants for 2025

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The ERC awarded 349 Consolidator grants this year, totaling €728 million. Israel stands out with 13 winners from Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, the Hebrew University, the Technion, the Weizmann Institute and the University of Haifa –
The binary system, one of whose members is the black hole Cygnus X-1. From Wikipedia

Balloon-launched telescope observations reveal how material falls into the black hole in Cygnus X-1

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A team of researchers used the balloon-borne XL-Calibur telescope to measure polarized X-rays from the black hole Cygnus X-1 in unprecedented detail, revealing new clues about how hot material twists and turns.
When two black holes collide, they release gravitational waves that allow scientists to determine their mass and spin. In January 2025, LIGO detected GW250114, the clearest signal yet of a black hole merger, providing new insights into these mysterious cosmic giants. Credit: Maggie Chiang for Simons Foundation

Hawking was right: New data confirms black holes never shrink

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The sharpest and brightest gravitational signal ever measured, GW250114, allows the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA collaboration to test Hawking's surface theorem and Einstein's prediction with unprecedented precision. Black holes "ring" after
Image from a computer simulation of the formation and evolution of a black hole. Credit: Ore Gottlieb/Simons Foundation

Mystery solved: How the "impossible" merger of two giant black holes occurred

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New simulations from the Center for Computational Astrophysics at the Flatiron Institute suggest that the formation of black holes in the "forbidden" mass range results from a combination of rapid rotation and strong magnetic fields, which eject up to half of the star's mass and create
A chain of plasmoids forms in the equatorial plane along the streamer sheet, where the particle density (left part) is higher. Here, magnetic fusion occurs, accelerating particles to very high energies (right). Particles also reach relativistic velocities along the spin axis and eventually form the jet, which is driven by the Blandford-Zenaik mechanism. In gray: magnetic field lines. Credit: Meringolo, Camilloni, Rezzolla (2025)

Scientists have solved a century-old black hole mystery

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A new physical model combines observations and simulations and explains key processes in the vicinity of black holes — from jet emissions to extreme mass growth
Caption: Artist's illustration of two supermassive black holes (MBHs) within a galaxy. A tidal disruption event occurs around the supermassive black hole off the center of the galaxy, and material from a disintegrated star swirls into a bright accretion disk, which releases an energetic jet and produces two bright radio bursts. Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/P. Vosteen.

Star-bursting by a black hole rarely occurs outside the center of the galaxy

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The research team

New study reveals: Most massive stars in the early universe were born in pairs

NGC 3603 is a high-rate star-forming region located 22,000 light-years from the Sun, and is the closest known region of its kind in the galaxy. Credit: ESO

Astronomers have discovered one of the most massive binary stars in the Milky Way.

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A pair of stars weighing 93 and 70 solar masses orbit each other every just 3.8 days – providing a rare glimpse into the processes that lead to the formation of binary black holes and gravitational waves
Gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes hold clues about these hidden objects. Credit: Maggie Chiang / Simons Foundation

The most powerful black hole collision since the phenomenon was discovered confirms Einstein's theory and Hawking's prediction

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An extremely strong gravitational wave measured at LIGO has made it possible for the first time to experimentally verify the principle that the area of ​​a black hole's event horizon cannot decrease. Concern: The government wants to close the LIGO project
This artistic rendering depicts small, primordial black holes. In reality, such tiny black holes would struggle to form the accretion disks that would make them appear as they do here. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Physicists: Within a decade, we may see a primordial black hole exploding

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New research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst indicates a probability of up to 90% for a primordial black hole to explode in the next decade – an event that could provide direct evidence of Hawking radiation and reveal the full list of all the universe's dark matter.
Massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Of the stars examined, seventy percent (the red diamonds) appear to be accelerating and decelerating. This suggests the existence of a companion. Credit: ESO/Sana et al.

Researchers discovered: Massive stars in metal-poor galaxies are also born in pairs

An international team led by scientists from Belgium, the Netherlands and Tel Aviv University has found that over 70% of the massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud have partners – a finding that sheds new light on the first stars
An artist's impression of CAPERS-LRD-z9, home to the earliest confirmed black hole. The supermassive black hole at its center is thought to be surrounded by a thick cloud of gas, giving the galaxy its distinctive red color. Credit: Erik Zumalt, The University of Texas at Austin

Webb Telescope Discovers Oldest Black Hole – Breaking Universe Records

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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the oldest confirmed supermassive black hole, found in a rare "Little Red Spot" galaxy and formed just 500 million years after the Big Bang.
Image of Stokes curves and a black hole. Credit: KyotoU / Taiga Miyachi

Scientists discover spiral symphony hidden in black hole oscillations

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Precise analysis reveals complex frequency patterns and quasi-normal modes that had been lost to sight—and suggests a new way to improve the interpretation of black hole “resonance sounds” and the accuracy of gravitational wave measurements
Scientists are researching a laser-powered nanospacecraft that could reach a black hole within decades. Credit: Al-Hadayan website via DALEE

A paperclip-sized probe could probe a black hole's event horizon

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A research program proposes launching a nanospacecraft with a light sail, propelled by a laser beam at up to about a third of the speed of light, to reach a nearby black hole within decades and test the theory of relativity under extreme conditions—if one is found.
An artist's illustration of the mechanism proposed by Professor Stefano Profumo, in which quantum effects near the rapidly expanding cosmic horizon after the Big Bang gravitationally create dark matter particles. Credit: Stefano Profumo

Two bold theories may finally explain dark matter

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Two massive black holes have collided in deep space, creating a final monster that defies current theories. Scientists say it's the most massive, fastest-spinning merger ever discovered.

LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves from Extreme Black Hole Merger *Pushing the Limits of Einstein's Theory of Relativity

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A collision between two massive black holes creates a body that rotates at dizzying speeds and contradicts standard models – possibly resulting from previous mergers
A pair of black holes in a cosmic vortex about to collide. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Are We Reading the Universe Wrong? New Method Could Reveal Secrets of Colliding Black Holes

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Scientists have developed a revolutionary method for analyzing gravitational wave signals, which allows for more precise alignment between observations and theoretical models – and brings us closer to understanding the properties of black holes.
A star that survived beyond a black hole. Rewrite a commentary on flashes of light from galaxies

For the first time, a star has been recorded surviving a devastating encounter with a black hole

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New research suggests that the flickering light emissions from the centers of galaxies do not always stem from star-devouring black holes – but sometimes from internal disk changes.
Still image from the numerical simulation about 1.3 seconds after the neutron star merger. The blue and green contours show the density of matter around the center of the black hole remnant. The purple lines show the magnetic field lines and the arrows show the outflow in the magnetosphere (jet). Credit: K. Hayashi / Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)

Accelerated cosmic collision – supercomputer captures the birth of a black hole in a second and a half

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Researchers used the Pogko supercomputer to simulate the merger of neutron stars – from spinning to black hole formation and gamma-ray burst – and to decipher how heavy elements like gold are formed.
Artist's illustration of a neural network connecting observations (left) and models (right). Credit: EHT Collaboration / Janssen et al.

Artificial intelligence and high-throughput distributed computing reveal the secrets of the Milky Way's black hole

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Combining a Bayesian neural network with millions of computer simulations made it possible to determine that the black hole at the center of the galaxy is rotating at almost maximum speed – thanks to a computational infrastructure developed by Prof. Miron Livni.
Artist's illustration of the black hole PDS 456. The fast winds are shown in white. Credit: JAXA

New discoveries about the emission of strong winds from black holes

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Researchers from the Faculty of Physics at the Technion and the University of Tokyo present new discoveries about the emission of winds at 20-30% of the speed of light from black holes
The disk of hot plasma surrounding Sagittarius A* – the Milky Way’s central black hole – constantly flickers and bubbles, as shown in this artist’s illustration. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralph Crawford (STScI)

The black hole at the center of the Milky Way is not resting – it is constantly bubbling.

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Long-term James Webb observations reveal dynamic changes in the plasma disk surrounding Sagittarius A*
Radiation from active galactic nuclei (AGN), usually thought to be deadly, may actually help life thrive – by strengthening the protective ozone layer in oxygen-rich atmospheres, thus making planets more resilient. Credit: IRLab/NSF/AURA/J. daSilva/M. Zamani

Black holes may contribute to the flourishing of life on nearby planets

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New research reveals that radiation from active galactic cores can strengthen the protective ozone layer in oxygen-rich atmospheres and protect life from extinction.
A black hole with an accretion disk and energy emissions in deep space.

The secret energy inside every black hole is more powerful than we thought

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Researchers have discovered that black holes can pump and release huge amounts of energy through magnetic fields and magnetized accretion disks, which could change our understanding of galaxy formation and the evolution of the universe.
LIGO Gravitational Wave Observatory in the US, credit: caltech

LIGO gravitational wave detectors are about to undergo an upgrade

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Scientists have developed an innovative optical system designed to improve the sensitivity of the LIGO detector, the American gravitational wave detector that was a partner, along with the European Virgo, in the initial detection of gravitational waves and in many subsequent discoveries.
This Hubble image captures the stunning remains of an exploded star in the distant galaxy LEDA 132905, located more than 400 million light-years away. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, RJ Foley (UC Santa Cruz)

Hubble captures the dramatic end of a distant supernova

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The Hubble Space Telescope has documented the remnants of the supernova SN 2022abvt in the distant galaxy LEDA 132905, more than 400 million light-years from Earth.
A Dyson ball designed to block the sun and use all its energy. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Could black holes be a source of energy for aliens? New research reveals fascinating possibilities

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Scientists propose a new way to search for advanced civilizations: detecting energy signatures of structures around black holes, which may be visible up to 17,000 light-years away
Schematic overview of a wide orbiting binary system within the Milky Way. As it moves through the galaxy, the ellipticity of its orbit changes due to the gravitational influence of the galaxy and encounters with nearby stars, leading to close encounters (small image). Credit: Jakob Stegmann et al 2024 ApJL 972 L19

The role of galactic gravity in black hole collisions: a groundbreaking study

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New research shows how the host galaxy's gravity affects distant pairs of stars, bringing the black holes into extreme and rare collisions accompanied by powerful gravitational waves
New findings in Omega Centauri indicate many stellar black holes instead of one medium-sized black hole, based on analysis of pulsar data. credit: University of Surrey

Has the mystery been solved? Hidden black hole cluster discovered in Omega Centauri

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The black hole of our Milky Way as seen in polarized light. Astronomers have for the first time been able to measure polarity, a hallmark of magnetic fields, so close to the rim of Sagittarius A*. The lines added to the image indicate the direction of polarization, which is related to the magnetic field around the shadow of the black hole. Credit: EHT Collaboration

Strong magnetic fields surround the Milky Way's central black hole

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The antenna galaxies are in the process of collisions. Credit: NASA

How cosmic collisions created the largest galaxies in the universe

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The study suggests that these galaxies were formed from large flows of cold gas and collisions between galaxies in the early universe, which led to the formation of stars at an extremely fast rate
A magnificent black hole with an allocation disk and a cosmic hill of matter.

Supermassive black holes defy physics to become cosmic giants

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Researchers have linked X-ray emissions from 21 distant quasars to the rapid growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe
The internal dynamics of a black hole. The image was prepared using DALEE and is not a scientific image

A black hole with hidden instability: Theories of spacetime may be rewritten

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New research reveals an accumulation of energy inside black holes, which could undermine traditional models and change our understanding of these cosmic structures
A black hole with its bright event horizon. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Black holes send signals - a breakthrough method by astrophysicists to decipher them

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Astrophysicists have developed a method for detecting echoes of light from black holes that will allow measuring their mass and rotation
This figure shows a stage in the merger of two galaxies that creates a single galaxy with two supermassive black holes at the center and surrounded by disks of hot gas. The black holes orbit each other for hundreds of millions of years as they merge to form a single supermassive black hole that sends out powerful gravitational waves. Credit: NASA/CXC/A.Hobart

Gravitational waves hint that the universe still has secrets

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New research sheds light on the origin of low-frequency ripples in space-time
Web image showing the quasar J0148 circled in red. The upper small image shows the central black hole and the lower the stellar emission from the host galaxy.

How did black holes get so big and so fast? The answer lies in dark matter

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The 25 most interesting images taken by the Chandra Space Telescope in its 25 years so far. Credit: NASA/SAO/CXC

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Celebrates 25 Years With Impressive Cosmic Images

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Since its launch in 1999, Chandra has helped unravel cosmic mysteries, supported the research of thousands of astronomers, and maintained its status as a cornerstone of astrophysical research.
Prof. Martin Rees, winner of the 2024 Wolf Prize in Physics. Photo courtesy of the Wolf Prize Foundation

The British Astronomer Royal won the Wolff Prize in Physics

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The Wolf Prize in Physics for 2024 is awarded to Professor Martin Rees of the University of Cambridge, England, for his "pioneering contributions to high-energy astrophysics, the formation of galaxies and structures in the universe, and cosmology"
The black holes orbiting each other. Both black holes have jets associated with them: the larger one in red, the smaller one in yellow. Normally only the red jet is visible, but in the 12 hours on November 12, 2021 the small jet was dominant, giving a direct signal from the smaller black hole, and was observed for the first time. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) & M. Mugrauer (AIU Jena)

NASA's Planet Hunter's Rare Look at Two Black Holes in a Distant Galaxy

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Two black holes orbit each other but usually only see the jet of one of them A rare observation made it possible to see the other as well and provide new insights
A soon-to-be-launched novel space telescope may reveal a new type of "featherweight" black hole that will challenge existing theories of black hole formation. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Echoes of the Big Bang: The Roman Space Telescope's Search for Black Holes with Masses of approx

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A soon-to-be-launched novel space telescope may reveal a new type of "featherweight" black hole that will challenge existing theories of black hole formation
The early universe immediately after the big bang, with a chaotic background of energy and particles. Small, dense black holes, some the size of an atom, are scattered throughout the image. These black holes are described with a "color charge" aura, symbolizing the unique property of quarks and gluons. Around the black holes is a cosmic landscape of quark-gluon plasma, with hints of the beginnings of proton and neutron formation. The image was prepared using DALEE and is not a scientific image

Exotic black holes may be a byproduct of dark matter

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Fifty years ago, physicist Stephen Hawking proposed that dark matter might be a population of black holes, which may have formed shortly after the Big Bang. They also existed for a short time but had an impact on
A star cluster forms in a giant molecular cloud as reproduced by the simulation in the model. The picture is based on the model. The blue dots represent individual stars. Dark and light colors indicate the temperature of the gas (cold and hot). Visualization by Takaki Takeda (VASA ENTERTAINMENT INC.)

"Medium and powerful: medium-mass black holes can survive in globular clusters"

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First-ever model simulations of individual stars in a star cluster in the process of formation suggest possible mechanisms for the formation of intermediate-mass black holes
This groundbreaking idea proposed by Prof. Liu's team allows a single astronomical telescope in the Earth's magnetosphere to function as a gravitational wave signal detector. Credit: HKUST

Astrophysicists harness planetary power to explore the universe's greatest mysteries

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Observing the universe using gravitational waves poses significant technological challenges, especially in the investigation of the frequency range above one kilohertz, the astronomers are technologically assisted in the magnetosphere of planets to detect the gravitational waves
The black hole's accretion disk. Illustration: depositphotos.com

How a black hole grows

Researchers have developed a method for mapping the central regions around black holes, which contributes to a better understanding of their growth
A black hole pulls matter into it, the possibilities are that the matter will be ejected back into space or fall into the event horizon. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Beyond the threshold: a new visualization of a black hole at NASA allows viewers to dive into the event horizon

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A NASA astrophysicist has developed immersive simulations of a black hole using a supercomputer. These visuals illustrate two scenarios: a last-minute escape or crossing the event horizon and falling into the black hole
The coalescence and merger of a black hole from the bottom of the mass gap (surface in dark gray) with a neutron star with colors ranging from dark blue (60 g/cm600) to white (XNUMX kg/cmXNUMX) emphasize the strong deformations of the low-density material of the neutron star Credit: I. Markin (Potsdam University), T. Dietrich (Potsdam University and Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics), H. Pfeiffer, A. Buonanno (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics)

Gravitational waves reveal hidden interactions in space

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The analysis of the signal GW230529 picked up by LIGO shows that it originated from the merger of two compact objects, one with a mass between 1.2 and 2.0 times that of the Sun and the other with a mass slightly more than twice the first
The mysterious life of hot compact objects in space. Credit: The Science website via DALEE. The image should not be seen as a scientific image

Cosmic Mysteries Revealed: The Short and Brilliant Lives of Compressed Compact Objects

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A new study reveals details of an unknown class of galaxies called compact compact objects (CSOs) that emit jets moving in opposite directions at speeds close to the speed of light
Artificial intelligence reveals a long-standing mistake in the study of black holes. Credit: The Science website via DALEE

Artificial intelligence reveals a long-standing mistake in the study of black holes

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A new study, led by the UK's University of Bath, has found that supermassive black holes need both merging galaxies and cold gas to grow. This discovery, obtained through machine learning, may change our understanding of
Artist's rendering of the heaviest pair of supermassive black holes: Using archival data from the Gemini North Telescope, a team of astronomers has measured the heaviest pair of supermassive black holes ever found. The merger of two supermassive black holes is a long-predicted but never-observed phenomenon. This pair provides insight into why such an event seems so unlikely in the universe. Credit: NOIR LAB

Astronomers have measured the heaviest pair of black holes ever found

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Data from the Gemini North Telescope provide a possible explanation for the halting of the merger of a pair of supermassive black holes at the center of a galaxy
This image shows the region of the sky where the record-breaking quasar, J0529-4351, is located. Using the European Southern Observatory's Giant Telescope (VLT) in Chile, this quasar was found to be the most luminous object known in the universe so far. This image was created from images that are part of the Computerized Sky Survey 2, while the smaller image shows the location of the quasar in an image from the Dark Energy Survey. Credit: ESO/Computerized Sky Survey 2/Dark Energy Survey

The brightest object in the universe has been discovered - powered by a massive sun-swallowing black hole

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The material being pulled toward this disk-shaped black hole emits so much energy that J0529-4351 is more than 500 trillion times brighter than the Sun
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