Astronomers find hundreds of 'hidden' black holes -- and there may be billions or even trillions more
By Joanna Thompson published 18 hours ago
Black holes that have been obscured by clouds of dust still emit infrared light, enabling astronomers to spot them for the very first time
Astronomers have discovered hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes lurking in the universe — and there may be billions or even trillions more out there that we still haven't found.
The researchers identified these giant black holes by peering through clouds of dust and gas in infrared light. The finds could help astronomers refine their theories of how galaxies evolve, the researchers say.
Hunting in the dark
Hunting for black holes is difficult work. They are the darkest objects in the universe, as not even light can escape their gravitational pull. Scientists can sometimes "see" black holes when they devour matter around them; the surrounding material accelerates so fast it starts to glow. But not all black holes have a bright visible ring, so finding them takes a bit more creativity.
Astronomers believe there are billions, or perhaps even trillions, of supermassive black holes — black holes with a mass at least 100,000 times that of our sun — in the universe. One probably lurks at the center of every large galaxy. But it is impossible for scientists to count every single supermassive black hole. Instead, they need to take surveys of nearby galaxies to estimate the number of these black holes hiding in our corner of the cosmos.
More:
https://www.livescience.com/space/black-holes/astronomers-find-hundreds-of-hidden-black-holes-and-there-may-be-billions-or-even-trillions-more