JWST has spotted the earliest black hole ever seen in the universe

1 year ago 57

Space

The discovery of a black hole that formed just 570 million years after the big bang could help us understand the evolution of these cosmic behemoths

By Alex Wilkins

The earliest known black hole in the universe has been spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and it could tell us about the origin of supermassive black holes that formed much later.

Many galaxies have a supermassive black hole at their centre, but it is unclear exactly how they became so large. One possibility is they were formed by small black holes, created by early stars collapsing, joining together over time. Another suggestion is they are …

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 14th April 2023.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

Existing subscribers