New Study Reveals: Black Holes Are Star Killers, Not Just Space Monsters

A cosmic power play unfolds as black holes and their mighty jets sculpt galaxies, not with creation—but suppression. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics reveals how these duos choke off star birth to shape the universe’s fate. (Credit: NASA)

The study uncovers a violent ballet—supermassive black holes spewing high-speed jets at 2,000 km per second. These streams don’t just dazzle—they rip gas from galaxies, cutting off the very breath of new stars.

Astronomers now have proof of a chilling truth: some galaxies go quiet not from age, but from black hole tantrums. Their radiation and jets unite to halt star formation, turning once-vibrant galaxies eerily barren.

Galaxies screaming across radio wavelengths are twice as likely to show gas outflows. IIA’s data crunching of over 500 AGN systems proves that radio jets are not just noise—they’re cosmic flamethrowers of change. (Credit: ESA)

From Bengaluru’s observatories to NASA’s VLA, researchers stitched together a panoramic dance of data. Each wavelength tells a story—visible, radio, X-ray—revealing how galaxies evolve under black hole command.

PhD student Payel Nandi’s findings rewrite the rules of galactic evolution: radiation may drive the winds, but jets turbocharge them. It’s like adding rocket fuel to gravity’s grand design.

“Negative AGN feedback” sounds like jargon—but it’s nature’s paradox. The same black holes that feed on matter also starve their galaxies, halting the very process that once nourished them.

Co-author CS Stalin calls it “a missing puzzle piece.” The strength of a jet’s energy mirrors a black hole’s brightness, proving that these invisible engines quietly sculpt billions of cosmic cities.

This isn’t just about 500 galaxies—it’s about all of them. IUCAA’s Dhruba J. Saikia says the findings could reshape how we understand every spiral, cluster, and cosmic structure we’ve ever mapped.