New Type of Black Hole Spotted in the Early Universe

A bright galaxy in the early universe likely contains a mysterious kind of black hole that had previously existed only in theory, a new study suggests. This probable "direct-collapse" black hole may help explain how supermassive black holes — the light-gobbling behemoths that lurk at the hearts of most, if not all, galaxies — got their start, researchers said. "The special aspect of this [direct-collapse] process is that it leads to the formation of a very massive 'seed' bl