Black holes' jets may behave differently than previously thought
Scientists just got their closest look yet at how supermassive black holes blast powerful jets across space.
Using the Event Horizon Telescope, teams spotted surprising jet behavior right near the black hole, while new computer simulations helped explain how these cosmic engines actually work.
Jets appear to accelerate as they move away from black hole
By zooming in on 16 distant galaxies, researchers noticed that some jet activity close to the black hole didn't match what textbooks predicted.
They also found that as plasma moves away from the black hole, it keeps getting brighter and faster—meaning these jets appear to accelerate as they move away from the black hole, challenging previous models of jet behavior.
Simulations show how black holes power jets
Fresh simulations confirmed that spinning black holes can tap into their own energy (using something called the Blandford-Znajek process) to power ultra-fast jets.
Plus, magnetic forces near the black hole's middle create blobs of plasma that rocket away at nearly light speed for thousands of light-years.
Research helps us understand energetic phenomena in the universe
These discoveries help connect what happens right next to a black hole with how those wild jets shape entire galaxies over time.
It's a big step toward understanding some of the most extreme and energetic stuff happening in our universe—pretty cool for anyone curious about space!