How black holes affect star formation in galaxies

Technology Oct 24, 2025

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have found that supermassive black holes can actually stop new stars from forming by blasting gas out of galaxy centers.
Their 2024 study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, looked at data from over 500 active galactic nuclei (AGN) to see how these cosmic giants shape their galaxies.

AGN jets and radiation

The team discovered that powerful radiation and jets from AGN work together to push out the gas needed for new stars.
More than half of galaxies with radio jets experienced these outflows, compared to just a quarter without them.
This helps explain why some galaxies go quiet and stop making new stars—a big step forward in understanding how the universe evolves.