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    Scientists discover new evidence of intermediate-mass black holes

    June 2, 2025, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Scientists discover new evidence of intermediate-mass black holes
    Left: posterior distribution of the chirp mass of the binary in the source frame as a function of the inferred effective inspiral spin parameter. Right: posterior distributions of the mass and the dimensionless spin of the remnant black hole according to the RIFT inference using the NRSur7dq4 model. The two-dimensional plot for both panels shows the 90% credible regions of inference using RIFT with the NRSur7dq4 model. The thick grey and filled black posteriors represent the LVK posterior distributions for GW170502 and GW190521, respectively, with the NRSur7dq4 waveform model. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/adc5f8

    A series of studies sheds light on the origins and characteristics of intermediate-mass black holes...

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    Medium-sized Black Holes Eat Stars like Messy Toddlers

    May 1, 2023, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Wayward star meets black hole

    Elusive intermediate-mass black holes take a few bites, then eject the leftovers

    In new 3D computer simulations, astrophysicists modeled black holes of varying masses and then hurled stars (about the size of our sun) past them to see what might happen. If they exist, intermediate-mass black holes likely devour wayward stars like a messy toddler — taking a few bites and then flinging the remains across the galaxy.

    When a star approaches an intermediate-mass black hole, it initially gets caught in the black hole’s orbit, the researchers discovered. After that, the black hole begins its lengthy and violent meal. Every time the star makes a lap, the black hole takes a bite — further cannibalizing the star with each passage...

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