Do black holes grow along with the universe? A new study says yes
We know the universe is constantly expanding. We also know that gravitationally bound objects, such as solar systems and black holes, seem to be immune to that expansion. But a new paper by theoretical physicists Valerio Faraoni and Massimiliano Rinaldi challenges that assumption. They suggest that black holes can't just ignore the expanding universe around them. Instead, they have to expand…
Black holes, which are gravitationally bound objects, are generally thought to be immune to the expansion of the universe. However, a new study by theoretical physicists Valerio Faraoni and Massimiliano Rinaldi suggests that black holes actually have to expand along with the cosmos. This conclusion comes in the face of contradictory observational evidence.
Recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and other observatories have revealed supermassive black holes in "infant" galaxies that should not have been able to form so early according to traditional astrophysics. These black holes appear to have formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, which is too young for them to have grown to their observed sizes within the constraints of the Eddington limit.
The study's authors note that traditional models of black holes, which treat them as isolated and unchanging objects, do not account for the dynamic nature of the universe. Instead, they suggest that the apparent horizons of black holes, which mark the boundary beyond which even light cannot escape, expand at the same rate as the universe.
This finding has significant implications for our understanding of the early universe and the formation of supermassive black holes. It suggests that the apparent size of these black holes may be driven by the expansion of the universe itself, rather than simply absorbing gas at the Eddington limit. Additionally, the theory could provide an explanation for the existence of black holes in the "upper mass gap" detected by gravitational wave observatories like LIGO and Virgo.
While the implications of this theory are profound, it is important to note that the expansion of the universe does not have any discernible effect on everyday life on Earth. Nonetheless, the authors believe that the theory is testable, and future observations from the JWST and other observatories may provide the evidence needed to confirm or refute their findings.
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