Cosmic climate change in early universe `may have stunted black holes`

Last Updated: Monday, June 11, 2012, 08:56

The early universe, which was warmed by the greediest of black holes, could have stunted the growth of the rest, a new study has revealed.

`Gigantic gamma-rays blasted from Milky Way’s core`

Last Updated: Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 19:30

New evidence of ghostly gamma-ray beams suggests that the Milky Way’s central black hole was much more active in the past.

Massive black holes shut down star formation

Last Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2012, 14:27

All large galaxies have a massive black hole at their centre, each millions of times the mass of a single star.

Black holes `eat binary star partners` to grow

Last Updated: Monday, April 2, 2012, 12:34

There are two ways to grow a supermassive black hole: with gas clouds and with stars.

How black holes fire gas jets into space

Last Updated: Thursday, January 12, 2012, 21:34

Scientists are a step closer to figuring out how black holes can fire superfast gas bullets into space, by determining the precise moment when they form.

Cold streams of gas pushed growth of black holes

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 17:44

A steady diet of cold, thin streams of gas are what pushed the rapid growth of early supermassive black holes, according to astrophysicists.

Black holes surrounded by `dust clouds`

Last Updated: Saturday, October 29, 2011, 15:23

Fat doughnut-shaped dust shrouds that obscure about half of supermassive black holes could be the result of high speed crashes between planets and asteroids

Galaxy mergers not needed to fuel blackholes

Last Updated: Friday, October 14, 2011, 12:49

A supermassive black hole (millions or even billions of times the mass of the sun) sits at the core of most, if not, all large galaxies.

`Life may be possible in supermassive black holes`

Last Updated: Friday, October 7, 2011, 18:13

Supermassive black holes are known to be absolutely uninhabitable and the most destructive force in space.

Massive black holes found in distant galaxies

Last Updated: Friday, September 16, 2011, 13:33

The find of supermassive black holes growing in surprisingly small galaxies suggest that central black holes form at an early stage in galaxy evolution.