Giant Black Hole Inside Small Galaxy Surprises Scientists

A computer simulation of the collision of two black holes detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, in Washington in February, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Caltech/MIT/Ligo Laboratory
A computer simulation of the collision of two black holes detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, in Washington in February, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Caltech/MIT/Ligo Laboratory
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Giant Black Hole Inside Small Galaxy Surprises Scientists

A computer simulation of the collision of two black holes detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, in Washington in February, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Caltech/MIT/Ligo Laboratory
A computer simulation of the collision of two black holes detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, in Washington in February, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Caltech/MIT/Ligo Laboratory

A tiny galaxy orbiting at the outskirts of the Milky Way appears to have a giant black hole at its center, comparable to that of the much larger Milky Way itself, and scientists are surprised.

The Leo I dwarf galaxy is some 820,000 light-years from Earth, and astronomers believe its mass was about 15 to 30 million times the mass of our sun. That's tiny compared to the Milky Way, which is estimated to weigh as much as 1.5 trillion suns and whose disk is over 100,000 light-years wide.

However, the study published in the latest issue of the Astrophysical Journal, unexpectedly found that at the heart of the little Leo I sits a black hole that is nearly as large as the one at the heart of the entire Milky Way. The discovery defies expectations as astronomers believed giant black holes grow from collisions between galaxies and should correspond with the galaxy's size.

"There is no explanation for this kind of black hole in dwarf spheroidal galaxies," María José Bustamante, an astronomy researcher at the University of Texas, and lead author of the new paper, said in a statement quoted by the Live Science website.

The discovery came as scientists originally set out to measure the amount of dark matter in Leo I using the Virus-W instrument on the University of Texas' 2.7-meter Harlan Telescope.

Virus-W measures the motion of stars in small galaxies around the Milky Way and infers the amount of dark matter in those galaxies from those motions.

Dark matter is the completely invisible material that resists gravity. Scientists can measure its concentrations in the universe based on its effects on orbits and velocities of nearby stars. The more dark matter in the star's orbit, the faster it travels.

When the team ran data gathered in the observations through their computer models, they found that Leo I appears to have basically no dark matter but a black hole at its center as heavy as 3 million suns. These findings surprised the scientists as the Sagittarius A* black hole at the center of the Milky Way is only 25% larger.



Islamabad Seeks Partnerships with Riyadh to Boost Digital Media Production, Content Quality

Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Islamabad Seeks Partnerships with Riyadh to Boost Digital Media Production, Content Quality

Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar emphasized his country’s commitment to forming partnerships with Saudi Arabia to enhance digital media production, journalism, content creation, and new media business models.

He also highlighted the importance of digital transformation and financial sustainability in the modern media landscape, noting that the Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh introduced innovative initiatives and comprehensive solutions to contemporary challenges.

Tarar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Islamabad and Riyadh share strong historical and cultural ties. He praised Saudi Arabia for its forward-thinking initiatives that promote prosperity, economic growth, and increased commercial activities.

Tarar expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation with the Kingdom, particularly in addressing emerging challenges such as misinformation and fake news facilitated by modern technologies.

Tarar noted that the Saudi Media Forum, which he recently attended in Riyadh, provided a valuable platform to learn from Saudi Arabia’s media expertise and foster collaboration between media sectors while discussing the latest industry trends.

“This is a remarkable step under the Vision 2030 Saudi Arabia which is progressing under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister,” he remarked.

“Hosting a large number of global leaders in Riyadh for fostering media cooperation to create a livable and sustainable future for our generations especially by mitigating its potentially chaotic challenges such as misinformation and disinformation, fake news, propaganda,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Tarar stressed the need for collaboration among media professionals to tackle issues arising from rapid technological advancements, such as the unethical use of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology.

While technology presents challenges, it also offers solutions, he said, underscoring the need for greater media pluralism—not only to address technological threats but also to defend against cybersecurity risks that could escalate into international conflicts.

“The people gathered here are not merely numbers but brilliant brains who will work together and by sharing knowledge and expertise to counter issues emanating with evolution of technology such unethical use of AI and deep fake,” he remarked.

Furthermore, Tarar urged social media platforms and online content providers to take greater responsibility for the content they host.

He noted: “Social media platforms and online content providers must be held accountable for the content they host. Stricter policies against misinformation and malicious actors, coupled with collaborations with independent fact-checking organizations, can enhance platform integrity.”

“Nations must workout legal frameworks to address the problems of the media evolving in the modern world entailing problems like misinformation and cyber threats,” he urged.

Furthermore, the minister highlighted the importance of raising awareness and instilling individual responsibility among digital media users. He called for large-scale awareness campaigns and joint training programs for content creators to promote ethical media practices and reduce harmful content.

“Awareness creation to inculcate individual responsibility among the people are the main consumer of the content from the platforms of the digital media,” he said. “The users of these platforms must be educated about the harmful content and its implications through massive sensitization campaigns.”

“We must also initiate joint trainings for content creators to equip them with the media ethics that will help a great deal in curbing the virility of harmful content,” he explained.