Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the life and death of stars, shedding new light on the mysteries of supernovas and black holes. A recent study published in the Astrophysical Journal reveals that a giant star is believed to have exploded as a result of its interaction with a dense black hole.
The phenomenon, dubbed SN 2023zkd, was first detected by an artificial intelligence (AI) program designed to scan the sky for unusual activity. The AI flagged the star’s dimming pattern, allowing researchers to observe it in detail and uncover a shocking second explosion.
According to lead author Alex Gagliano, the discovery is significant because it challenges our understanding of how stars explode. Typically, supernovas follow a predictable pattern of increasing brightness before reaching their peak and then fading. However, SN 2023zkd exhibited an unusually slow rate of dimming followed by a second brightening.
Using archival data, researchers revealed that the star had been slowly brightening for four years prior to its explosion, likely due to gravitational stress from the nearby black hole. The extreme gravitational force caused the supernova, which was triggered when the star and black hole became too close to collide.
This discovery has far-reaching implications, as it suggests that black holes may play a more significant role in shaping the life cycles of stars than previously thought. The study’s findings are expected to transform our understanding of how stars explode and will likely lead to revised simulations of stellar death.
The role of AI in making this groundbreaking discovery cannot be overstated. The program helped researchers identify the unusual dimming pattern, allowing them to observe the supernova in detail and uncover its secrets. As Gagliano notes, “One of the only reasons we were able to make this discovery was through the combination of researchers in machine learning and astrophysics.”
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/14/supernova-new-theories-about-stars-black-holes/85640756007