Slashdot Mirror


Hundreds of Black Holes Found

eldavojohn writes "Hundreds of black holes that were thought to exist at the beginning of the universe have been found by NASA's Spitzer and Chandra space telescopes. From the article, 'The findings are also the first direct evidence that most, if not all, massive galaxies in the distant universe spent their youths building monstrous black holes at their cores. For decades, a large population of active black holes has been considered missing. These highly energetic structures belong to a class of black holes called quasars. A quasar consists of a doughnut-shaped cloud of gas and dust that surrounds and feeds a budding supermassive black hole. As the gas and dust are devoured by the black hole, they heat up and shoot out X-rays. Those X-rays can be detected as a general glow in space, but often the quasars themselves can't be seen directly because dust and gas blocks them from our view.' This is pretty big, as it's empirical evidence proving the existence of objects that theoretically had to exist but could not be detected previously."

21 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  2. Not to be confused with Red Holes by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Despite sharing gas clouds and the emission of toxic energy, quasars are found in space while red holes are found near Taco Bells.

  3. it's funny because it's true by User+956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    'The findings are also the first direct evidence that most, if not all, massive galaxies in the distant universe spent their youths building monstrous black holes at their cores.

    That's funny, because I've heard the same thing about Dick Cheney.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:it's funny because it's true by Torvaun · · Score: 2, Funny

      Close, but Bush's black nothingness is currently being contained by his skull.

      --
      I see your informative link, and raise you a pithy comment.
  4. Re:Had to exist? by alexborges · · Score: 3, Funny

    Im not gonna mod you. Could not find a +/- 1 "claims to be pedantic"

    --
    NO SIG
  5. pics or it didn't happen by weirdcrashingnoises · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Those X-rays can be detected as a general glow in space, but often the quasars themselves can't be seen directly because dust and gas blocks them from our view."

    pfft yea sure, i'll believe it's a black hole when i see it.

    --
    sigs... don't talk to me about sigs....
    1. Re:pics or it didn't happen by clsours · · Score: 2, Funny

      Does hurriedly photoshopped mspaint-style art count, or do you want genuine blurry photographic evidence http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/194195main_A-ssc2007-17a1-330.jpg?

      --
      Seagoon: Shut up Eccles!

      Eccles: Shut up Eccles!
  6. What does the red spectrum tell us about quasars? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    RIMMER: My answer: In answering the question, "What does the red spectrum tell us about quasars?" there are various words that need to be defined. What is a spectrum, what is a red one, why is it red, and why is it so frequently linked with quasars?

    He pauses and looks puzzled.

    RIMMER: What the hell is a quasar? Just put a neat cross through it and we'll do the next one, OK?

  7. Suddenly... by KillzoneNET · · Score: 2, Funny

    Suddenly black holes, lots of them!

  8. Re:Huh? by smittyoneeach · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, this just proves that, for certain empirical cases, the difference between theory and practice is smaller in practice than certain other theoretically challenged cases: in other words, this one is rather similar, while still remaining slightly different.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  9. must... resist... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    "The goatse guy could not be reached for comment."

  10. Re:Had to exist? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ah. The good ol' Schrödinvote.

  11. It's just grit on the scanner scope... by Artega+VH · · Score: 5, Funny

    As covered by Red Dwarf...
    "Well, the thing about a Black Hole, its main distinguishing feature, is it's black! And the thing about space, the colour of space, yer basic space colour, is its Black! So how are you supposed to see them. ... We've been in space for three million years and there hasn't been one! Then, all of a sudden five of them turn up at once!"

    And the cause of all these black holes?
    "Five specs of grit on the scanner scope....the thing is about Grit... is it's black.."

    --
    groklaw, wired and slashdot. The holy trinity of work based time wasting.
    1. Re:It's just grit on the scanner scope... by ledow · · Score: 3, Funny

      Swirly thing alert!

  12. RE: Hundreds of Black Holes Found by DavidD_CA · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh good! I was worried I'd never see them again. The cleaning lady left my garage door open and they sneaked out.

    My quazars will be so happy to have them back home.

    --
    -David
  13. Those aren't black holes... by JK_the_Slacker · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...they're honeypots powerful enough to bog down the Storm botnet!

    --
    I'm waiting for a "-1 somepeoplejustshouldn'tgetmodprivileges" meta-moderation.
  14. God squad should be happy by flyingfsck · · Score: 3, Funny

    The universe is now proven to be holier than thou.

    --
    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  15. Uh.... by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, you are referring to brown holes. They are not the same things.

  16. Well.... by w1relessm0nkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    Finding Black Holes is an intense job, it's not hard to get Sucked in, and there are always new Events on the Horizon. // Sucky job but somebody's got to do it?? /// Having seen "Event Horizon" I don't think I'd really want to go looking for black holes....ugh.

  17. Re:Huh? by corgan517 · · Score: 1, Funny

    * Empirical evidence proves the existence of objects that theoretically had to exist
    * An object theoretically had to exist,
    * Therefore, this object may or may not have existed.
    * This evidence proves an object may or may not have existed.
    * The evidence proves nothings?
    * Confirmation bias?
    * Profit! (?)
  18. Re:Red spectrum by DiscoDave_25 · · Score: 2, Funny

    What is a spectrum, what is a red one, why is it red, and why is it so frequently linked with quasars?

    What the hell is a quasar?

    (write bigger)