James Webb Finds Black Holes Millions of Times the Sun’s Mass
Karmactive Team
The James Webb Space Telescope observations revealed massive black holes present just hundreds of millions years after the Big Bang, defying conventional formation theories and timelines.
These ancient cosmic giants possess masses ranging from millions to billions of solar masses, far larger than expected for their early age.
Traditional models suggest black holes grow through stellar collapse and accretion over billions of years, making their early appearance puzzling.
Cambridge astronomer Roberto Maiolino described these observations as a "giant leap forward," noting early galaxies provided a rich gas "buffet" for rapid growth.
Scientists propose these behemoths emerged from tiny primordial "seeds" during the Big Bang, rather than forming from collapsed stars.
Stephen Hawking's 1970s theory suggested the early universe naturally produced small black holes directly from compressed matter and energy.
Research indicates even a small fraction of these primordial seeds could grow to supermassive proportions within 100 million years.
These ancient giants likely gained mass during cosmic dark ages, before the first stars illuminated the universe.
Scientists aim to validate this hypothesis by incorporating the model into simulations of early galaxy formation and comparing results with James Webb Space Telescope data.