A single, 'naked' black hole confounds theories of the young cosmos
7 hours ago
- #cosmology
- #black-holes
- #astrophysics
- A massive 'naked' black hole named QSO1, weighing 50 million suns, was discovered in the early universe by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
- QSO1 challenges the conventional understanding of galaxy formation, as it exists without a surrounding galaxy, suggesting black holes may have formed before galaxies.
- The discovery supports Stephen Hawking's 1971 theory that black holes could have originated directly from the Big Bang's primordial conditions.
- QSO1 is part of a group of over 300 'little red dots' observed by JWST, sparking debate among astrophysicists about their true nature.
- Spectroscopic analysis revealed QSO1's gas is pure hydrogen, indicating it formed before many stars had synthesized heavier elements.
- Alternative theories propose QSO1 could have formed from dense gas clouds collapsing directly into black holes or from an early galaxy that quickly dissipated.
- The findings suggest the early universe was more chaotic and dynamic than previously thought, with black holes possibly being among the first large structures.