A recent study has revealed a shocking possibility that life on Earth could be extinguished by deadly radiation from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. The researchers, led by Indian astrophysicist Joydeep Bagchi, studied a massive spiral galaxy with an enormous supermassive black hole at its core.
The team found that the black hole is powering colossal jets of superheating plasma stretching 6 million light-years across and has an enormous mass equivalent to about a billion suns. This discovery raises concerns that similar jets from our own Milky Way’s central black hole, Sagittarius A*, could cause catastrophic damage to Earth.
The research team used data from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, and Hubble Space Telescope to analyze the structure and evolution of the galaxy. They found that despite its massive black hole, the galaxy retains its structure with well-defined arms, a bright nuclear bar, and surrounding dust and star halo.
The findings have significant implications for our understanding of galactic evolution, dark matter, and the origin of life. The researchers believe that studying such rare galaxies could provide vital clues about the universe’s unseen forces.
If Sagittarius A* were to pull in and tear apart a gas cloud, it could trigger large-scale radio jets, potentially harming Earth with cosmic-rays, gamma-rays, and X-rays. If a jet were pointed towards our solar system, it could strip away planetary atmospheres, damage DNA, increase mutations, and degrade the ozone layer, leading to a mass extinction event.
The study’s authors emphasize that understanding these rare galaxies is crucial for unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos and reminds us that the universe still holds surprises beyond our imagination.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/supermassive-black-hole-jet-galaxy-milky-way-2049549