Technology • Jun 30, 2025

NASA detects unprecedented black hole explosions

NASA and the European Space Agency just found some of the brightest black hole explosions ever recorded—think energy more powerful than 100 supernovae!
These wild events, called extreme nuclear transients, happen when a black hole gobbles up a huge star.
One explosion, nicknamed "Barbie," has even helped scientists track down hidden black holes in far-off galaxies.

TL;DR

'Barbie' explosion helps scientists hunt for ancient black holes

First spotted in 2020, the "Barbie" explosion lasted months and gave researchers new clues about how black holes behave and how galaxies grow.
It's also helping scientists hunt for ancient black holes from over 12 billion years ago.
With new tech like NASA's Roman Space Telescope launching soon, we're getting closer to understanding these mysterious cosmic giants.