Summary
Astrophysicists have recently observed a black hole that has shifted its jet direction to point directly at Earth, a phenomenon that has sparked excitement in the scientific community. This black hole, part of a giant radio galaxy known as PBCJ2333.9-2343, has been emitting particle beams for millions of years, but its current orientation is unprecedented. Researchers suggest that this change may indicate a dynamic nature of active galactic nuclei, challenging existing theories about how these cosmic objects behave.
The study highlights the differences between various types of active galactic nuclei, such as quasars, radio galaxies, and blazars, which are all manifestations of supermassive black holes consuming matter. The findings imply that the black hole's jet may have altered direction due to changes in its accretion disk or as a result of a merger with another galaxy. This could provide new insights into the mechanisms behind jet formation and the life cycles of these powerful cosmic entities.
Overall, this discovery emphasizes the dynamic and often violent nature of the universe, revealing that what appears static in the night sky is actually a complex and ever-changing landscape. The research opens up new avenues for understanding the behavior of black holes and their jets, as well as the broader implications for astrophysics.
Show Notes
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Astrophysicists have discovered a black hole that for millions of years has been blasting vast particle beams in opposite directions across the sky. And has recently swiveled to point its one of these jets directly at us. Is this an intergalactic death ray of an alien civilization that has suddenly noticed us? Absolutely not, and there’s no danger at all. But it’s a pretty cool phenomenon anyway, and something we’ve never seen before.
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Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Caique Oliveira, Adriano Leal & Stephanie Faria Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Associate Producer: Bahar Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Spacetime is produced by Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios. This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content. © 2023 PBS. All rights reserved.
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Search the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/Uploaded 25-05-22PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to :http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACESign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord!https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeWhen we scan the heavens with giant telescopes we see galactic cannibalism everywhere. We see moments that appear frozen on the human timescale, but are really snapshots of the incredibly violent process of galaxy formation. This is how all galaxies are made. We can piece together a pretty good understanding of this process from countless snapshots. Looking into the distance means looking into the past, so it’s possible to stitch together a Frankenstein flip book of galaxy evolution. Check out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://www.pbsspacetime.com/shopSign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt Caplan and Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal and Stephanie FariaGFX Visualizations: Ajay ManuelDirected by Andrew KornhaberAssociate Producer: Bahar GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberExecutives in Charge (PBS): Adam Dylewski, Maribel Lopez Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing Spacetime is produced by Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios.This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content.© 2022 PBS. All rights reserved.End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroidekaSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon SupportersBig Bang SupportersAdam HillierBryce FortPeter BarrettDavid NeumannCharlieLeo KoguanSandy WuAhmad JodehAlexander TamasMorgan HoughAmyJuan BenetVinnie FalcoFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid NicklasQuasar SupporterMarty SweetmanAlex KernEthan CohenStephen WilcoxChristina OegrenMark HeisingHank SHypernova Supporterswilliam bryanGregory ForfaKirk HonourMark EvansdrollereJoe MoreiraMarc ArmstrongScott GorlickPaul Stehr-GreenRussell PopeBen DeloScott GrayАнтон КочковJohn R. SlavikMathewDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph Salomonechuck zegarJordan YoungDaniel MuzquizGamma Ray Burst SuppotersWalterThomas TarlerbsgbryanSean McCaulCarsten QuinlanSusan AlbeeFrank WalkerMatt QWhizBangeryAvi YashchinMHL SHSKory KirkTerje VoldAnatoliy NagornyycomboyBrett BakerJonathan ConerlyAndre StechertRoss BohnerPaul WoodKent Durhamjim bartoshNubbleScott R CalkinsThe Mad MechanicJuan David Gil WiedmanEllis HallJohn H. Austin, Jr.Diana SBen CampbellFaraz KhanAlmog CohenAlex EdwardsÁdám KettingerMD3Endre PechDaniel JenningsCameron SampsonGeoffrey ClarionDarren DuncanRuss CreechJeremy ReedEric WebsterDavid JohnstonWeb BrowserMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyMr TAndrew MannIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganBleys GoodsonRobert WalterBruce BSimon OliphantMirik GogriMark DelagasseMark Daniel CohenNickolas Andrew FreemanShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiEric KieblerCraig StonahaMartin SkansThe Art of SinGraydon GossFrederic SimonTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GDavid NealKevin LeejustahatJohn FunaiTristanBradley JenkinsKyle HoferDaniel StříbrnýLuaanCodyThomas DoughertyKing ZeckendorffScott GossettDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkKevin Warne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 27-10-20The Nobel prize in physics this year went to black holes. Generally speaking. Specifically, it was shared by the astronomers who revealed to us the Milky Way’s central black hole and by Roger Penrose, who proved that in general relativity, every black hole contains a place of infinite gravity - a singularity. But the true impact of Penrose’s singularity theorem would is much deeper - it leads us to the limits Einstein’s great theory and to the origin of the universe.Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeCheck out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://pbsspacetime.com/Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdGraphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, and Pedro OsinskiDirected by: Andrew KornhaberCamera Operator: Setare GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberEnd Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0QSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon Sponsors!Big Bang SupportersSean MaddoxMarty YudkovitzBrodie RaoScott GrayRobert DoxtatorAhmad JodehCaed AldwychRadu NegulescuAlexander TamasMorgan HoughJuan BenetFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid NicklasQuasar SupportersJustin LloydChristina OegrenMark HeisingVinnie FalcoHypernova Supporterswilliam bryanNicholas NewlinMark Matthew BoskoJustin JermynJason FinnАнтон КочковAlec S-LJulian TyackeSyed AnsarJohn R. SlavikMathewDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph SalomoneMatthew O'Connorchuck zegarJordan Youngm0nkHank SJohn HofmannTimothy McCullochGamma Ray Burst SupportersJason NormandinCameron SampsonPratik MukherjeeGeoffrey ClarionAstronauticistNateDarren DuncanLily kawaiiRuss CreechJeremy ReedMax BernardMagistrala Хемус [Kybrit]Bill BlairEric WebsterSteven SartoreJames YoungerDavid JohnstonJ. KingMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyMr TAndrew MannJeremiah Johnsonfieldsa eleanoryPeter MertzKevin O'ConnellRichard DeightonIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganDawn M FinkBleys GoodsonDarryl J LyleRobert WalterBruce BIsmael MontecelM DAndrew RichmondSimon OliphantMirik GogriDavid HughesMark Daniel CohenBrandon LattinYannick WeynsNickolas Andrew FreemanBrian BlanchardShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiEric KieblerTatiana VorovchenkoCraig StonahaMichael ConroyGraydon GossFrederic SimonGreg SmithSean WarniahaTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GKevin LeeAdrian HatchYurii KonovaliukJohn FunaiCass CostelloGeoffrey ShortBradley JenkinsKyle HoferTim StephaniLuaanAlecZeroMalte UblNick VirtueScott GossettDavid BethalaDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkKevin WarneAndreas NautschBrandon labonteLucas Morgan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to:http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACEUploaded 01-06-22Get your t-shirt at the Space Time Merch Store:https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shopNeils Bohr said, “It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about Nature.” Well it turns out that if we pay attention to this subtle difference, some of the most mysterious aspects of nature make a lot more sense.Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord!https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeSign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeSearch the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/Hosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal and Stephanie FariaGFX Visualizations: Ajay ManuelDirected by Andrew KornhaberAssociate Producer: Bahar GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberExecutives in Charge (PBS): Adam Dylewski, Maribel Lopez Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing Spacetime is produced by Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios.This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content.© 2022 PBS. All rights reserved.End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroidekaSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon SupportersBig Bang SupportersAdam HillierBryce FortPeter BarrettDavid NeumannCharlieLeo KoguanAhmad JodehAlexander TamasMorgan HoughAmyJuan BenetVinnie FalcoFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid NicklasQuasar SupportersMarty SweetmanAlex KernEthan CohenStephen WilcoxChristina OegrenMark HeisingHank SHypernova Supporterswilliam bryanGregory ForfaKirk HonourMark EvansdrollereJoe MoreiraMarc ArmstrongScott GorlickPaul Stehr-GreenRussell PopeBen DeloScott GrayАнтон КочковJohn R. SlavikMathewDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph Salomonechuck zegarJordan YoungDaniel MuzquizGamma Ray BurstHarsh KhandhadiaWalterThomas TarlerbsgbryanSean McCaulCarsten QuinlanSusan AlbeeFrank WalkerMatt QWhizBangeryAvi YashchinMHL SHSKory KirkTerje VoldAnatoliy NagornyycomboyBrett BakerJonathan ConerlyAndre StechertRoss BohnerPaul WoodKent Durhamjim bartoshNubbleScott R CalkinsThe Mad MechanicJuan David Gil WiedmanEllis HallJohn H. Austin, Jr.Diana SBen CampbellFaraz KhanAlmog CohenAlex EdwardsÁdám KettingerMD3Endre PechDaniel JenningsCameron SampsonGeoffrey ClarionDarren DuncanRuss CreechJeremy ReedEric WebsterDavid JohnstonWeb BrowserMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyMr TAndrew MannIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganBleys GoodsonRobert WalterBruce BSimon OliphantMirik GogriMark DelagasseMark Daniel CohenNickolas Andrew FreemanShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiEric KieblerCraig StonahaMartin SkansThe Art of SinGraydon GossFrederic SimonTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GDavid NealKevin LeejustahatJohn FunaiTristanBradley JenkinsKyle HoferDaniel StříbrnýLuaanCodyThomas DoughertyKing ZeckendorffScott GossettDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkKevin Warne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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