JWST findings reveal that supermassive black holes may be linked to the Big Bang
Astronomers are baffled by the existence of supermassive black holes discovered during the earliest stages of the universe, just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Recent findings, as described in a study submitted to the Journal of Cosmology and Astroarticle Physics, suggest that these cosmic giants may have emerged as primordial “seeds” during the Big Bang itself. This hypothesis could provide insight into how such massive black holes formed in the universe’s infancy.
Early observations challenge current theories
According to the studythe James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified supermassive black holes in galaxies that formed shortly after the Big Bang. These black holes, which have hundreds of thousands to billions of times the mass of the Sun, appear to have evolved faster than current astrophysical models predict.
Conventionally, black holes form from the remains of massive stars. However, the timeline observed with JWST poses challenges because this process requires stars to form, die, and merge at an extraordinarily accelerated rate.
Primordial black hole hypothesis
In the 1970s, Stephen Hawking theorized that black holes might have emerged directly from the extreme density fluctuations during the Big Bang, rather than from stellar collapses. These “native” black holes, which were initially small, could have grown over time by replenishing surrounding matter. Researchers say that even a fraction of these primordial black holes could have reached supermassive sizes within 100 million years, which is in line with JWST observations.
Next steps in research
According to Live Space.com reportthe study authors recommended integrating this model into simulations of early galaxy formation. This approach could test the feasibility of primordial black holes growing alongside the first stars and galaxies. If confirmed, this would reshape our understanding of black hole development and cosmic evolution. Further observational and computational studies will be necessary to validate this hypothesis.
