A research team led by a graduate student at UC Riverside suggests a possible explanation for very large early black holes. They say decaying dark matter can release a very small amount of energy into gas in early galaxies.
That extra energy can change the chemistry of gas clouds. Instead of forming stars, some clouds may collapse directly into black holes. The idea helps explain recent James Webb Space Telescope observations of unusually large black holes in the early universe.
Difficult words
- research — careful study to learn new facts
- lead — be in charge of a groupled
- decay — slow change where something breaks downdecaying
- dark matter — invisible material in space that affects gravity
- chemistry — how substances and reactions behave and change
- collapse — fall inward or fall down quickly
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Are you surprised that very large black holes existed early in the universe? Why or why not?
- Would you like to learn more about dark matter? Explain one reason.
- Can you think of an example where a small change causes a big result?
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