black hole Archives - The Debrief

Cosmic Mystery Ensues as Supermassive Black Hole Emits Odd X-ray Pulses Unlike Anything Previously Seen

Ryan Whalen·January 15, 2025

A distant supermassive black hole, the mysterious 1ES 1927+654, emits X-ray pulses unlike anything previously recorded, which MIT astronomers hypothesize results from a cosmic balancing act.

James Webb Space Telescope Spots Monstrous Black Hole Lounging After a Cosmic Feast

Ryan Whalen·December 22, 2024

Even a monstrous black hole needs a break after a cosmic feast, according to new findings by University of Cambridge astronomers.

“Unidentified Object” Involved in Cosmic Collision that Left a Mark, NASA Space Observatory Reveals

Micah Hanks·December 12, 2024

Astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory have detected an “unusual mark” left by collision between and unidentified object and a powerful cosmic jet.

This Record-Breaking Black Hole Consumes Matter 40x Faster Than Expected. Is it Defying Physics?

Ryan Whalen·November 8, 2024

An ancient black hole near the galactic center is consuming matter at over 40 times the theoretical limit, raising questions over whether this object and its voracious appetite are defying the known laws of physics.

MIT and Cal Tech Physicists Spot Something They’ve Never Seen Before: A ‘Black Hole Triple’

Christopher Plain·October 24, 2024

Physicists from MIT and Cal Tech say they have discovered evidence of a black hole triple, something they have never seen before.

Mysterious ‘Dark Companion’ Detected Near Giant Star Reveals Elusive “Mass Gap” Phenomenon

Micah Hanks·September 15, 2024

One of the most significant black hole discoveries in years points to the elusive "mass gap" phenomenon, defying our current understanding of stellar evolution.

Twinkle Twinkle Artificial Star

This week on The Debrief Weekly Report...

MJ Banias·June 25, 2024

In this week’s episode of the DWR, Stephanie and Kenna discuss NASA's plan to build an artificial star for astronomical measurements. They also explore a lost Greek temple mentioned in ancient graffiti, and a new black hole discovery using magnetic winds to feed.

Newly Discovered “Magnetic Winds” Are Feeding Supermassive Black Holes, Making Them Grow

MJ Banias·June 21, 2024

Astronomers have discovered powerful magnetic winds fueling a distant supermassive black hole to grow larger.

Astronomers Say They Just Witnessed a Massive Black Hole Appear Out of Nowhere

Christopher Plain·June 18, 2024

An international team of astronomers studying a distant galaxy say they just witnessed a black hole appear out of nowhere.

James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Reveals Earliest Black Hole Merger Ever Witnessed

Micah Hanks·May 20, 2024

Astronomers report the discovery of the most distant black hole merger ever observed, with help from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

Journey to Earth’s Nearest Black Hole

Avi Loeb·May 8, 2024

Recently, the Gaia collaboration discovered the most massive black hole that originated from the collapse of a star in the Milky Way galaxy. What would it be like to visit it?

The Milky Way’s Largest Black Hole is “Lurking” Surprisingly Close to Earth

MJ Banias·April 17, 2024

The largest Black Hole ever discovered in the Milky Way, with a mass of 33 solar masses, is "lurking" surprisingly close to Earth.

NASA Launches BurstCube on New Mission to Study Mysterious Short Gamma Ray Bursts

Micah Hanks·March 22, 2024

NASA has just sent BurstCube on the first leg of its scientific mission to study the most powerful explosions in the known universe.

13-Billion-Year-Old Black Hole is the Oldest Ever Observed, and It Has a Monstrous Appetite

MJ Banias·January 21, 2024

Astronomers have detected the oldest black hole ever observed, dating back to just 400 million years after the Big Bang.

Odd Structures Detected Near the Heart of the Milky Way Left This Team of Astrophysicists “Stunned”

Micah Hanks·June 7, 2023

Researchers have detected odd filament structures that may provide new insights into a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Density: What Matters in the Universe

Avi Loeb·April 28, 2023

If we ever use these dark components to fuel engines of interstellar spacecraft, we will need to know their local densities. Avi Loeb weighs in.

“Black Hole” Created Using Sound Waves Could Help Enable the Development of a Physical Warp Drive

Christopher Plain·April 3, 2023

Researchers from the international think tank Applied Physics say they have created an artificial black hole in the lab that will help bring about the development of a working warp drive spaceship.

New Discovery Deepens Our Understanding of Extreme Phenomena Involving Neutron Star Collisions

Micah Hanks·January 10, 2023

A new discovery that could potentially hasten our knowledge about physics in some of the universe’s most extreme areas has been revealed from data collected by astronomers over the last several decades.

Black Hole Simulated in the Lab Suddenly Starts Glowing, Potentially Pointing to a Unified Theory of Gravity

Christopher Plain·December 2, 2022

A team of European physicists simulated a "glowing" black hole in the lab, which they say might help confirm one famous physicist's theory.

Physicists Claim Wormholes May Have Been Detected, with Help from a New Theoretical Model

Micah Hanks·November 15, 2022

Wormholes may have already been detected, but have been hiding in plain sight, according to a team of Bulgarian physicists.

Faster Than Light Speed? ‘Star Crash’ Produces Cosmic Blast That Seemed to Defy Physics

Micah Hanks·October 13, 2022

A cosmic blast caused by a “star crash” between two neutron stars produced an effect that seemingly defied the laws of physics, according to researchers.

The Gifts of Active Galactic Nuclei

Avi Loeb·August 24, 2022

Since metals seed life, galactic nuclei may offer these benefits if the seeds can ever blossom and become sentient civilizations.

Hidden Beyond the Edge of a Black Hole, a Curious Ring of Light Has Been Detected in a Supergiant Galaxy

Micah Hanks·August 17, 2022

Astrophysicists have revealed a once-hidden ring of light in “remastered” versions of the historic first images of a black hole.

Lunar Ranging: Detecting the Memory Effect from a Black Hole Merger at the Galactic Center

Avi Loeb·May 3, 2022

Permanent displacement between Earth and the Moon is detectable by the Lunar Ranging laser system, which monitors the Earth-Moon separation by measuring steadily the roundtrip travel time of light to the Moon.

Dark Matter: The Scientific Method and Understanding the Unseen

Avi Loeb·April 15, 2022

The popular cosmological paradigm supposes the existence of unseen matter known as “Cold Dark Matter”.

Videos Show What Happens if You Enter a Black Hole

Christopher Plain·November 25, 2021

What happens when you enter a black hole? It is a question posed by scientists and science fiction writers alike, but not one that can be easily tested in the real world.

Theory Says Black Holes May Offer Space/Time Shortcut

Christopher Plain·November 18, 2021

Black holes may indeed be shortcuts through space and time, just like science fiction always promised. And unlike...

This Surprising Discovery May Hold the Key to Unraveling Wormholes

Liam Stewart·July 16, 2021

It may be only a matter of time before technology is able to confirm yet another exciting and mysterious aspect of our universe: the potential existence of wormholes.

New Research Solves 40-year Mystery of Jupiter’s X-ray Auroras

Tim McMillan·July 9, 2021

An international team of researchers says they have solved the 40-year enigma of why magnificent bursts of X-ray auroras are released every few minutes on the planet Jupiter.

New Black Hole image from The Event Horizon Telescope

Chrissy Newton·April 9, 2021

Curious what the new Black hole image from The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration looks like? In 2019, The...

Betelgeuse Mystery May Be Solved with Help from a Stellar “Monster”

Micah Hanks·March 10, 2021

The mysterious dimming of Betelgeuse, observed since 2019, may have been solved with new data from Hubble's Space Telescope.

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