[colchar]

Scientists just found a very huge, very young supermassive black hole. As far as we know, it shouldn't be able to exist, and it just might re-write our understanding of the early universe.

It is the most distant black hole ever seen by scientists. And it is so far away that we are seeing something that formed when the universe was only five per cent of its current age – something that scientists say shouldn't be able to happen.

Our understandings of the formation and beginnings of the universe suggest that a black hole with such a huge mass shouldn't actually have been able to form, scientists say.


Scientists just found a black hole that could re-write the history of the universe

 

[jdto]

I thought you had found my wallet.

 

[mhammer]

I thought he was commenting on the Ontario Auditor General's report today.

But seriously, weird, huh? I find it so difficult to wrap my head around notions of the age or size of the universe, or viewing highly indirect ongoing indices now of something that is purported to have happened maybe even before Earth formed.

When some news report tells me about a new bug species discovered in Borneo, or a new advance in materials science that allows for a terrabyte in a micro-SD (I made that up folks; don't go shopping just yet), or new insights into mitochondria, I know what to do with that information. Black holes, on the other hand, I don't have a shelf, let alone a place on the shelf, for that sort of discovery. I'm not dismissing it as important or ultimately relevant. I just can't figure out how to connect it to my life or community. One day, maybe, just not yet.

 

[capnjim]

I really wish I could live long enough to see when Aliens to come down and laugh at our primitive ridiculous idea's about "physics".

Alien: Big bang, huh?? So......umm, what was there before this "Big Bang"??
Us: Wow...cool spaceship dude.
Alien: Yeah, it'll go from 0-60 billion times the speed of light in 4.2 seconds.

 

[vadsy]

Scientists just found a very huge, very young supermassive black hole.

was it next to Uranus?

 

[BSTheTech]

I'm convinced we won't "discover" alien life until we take a couple more evolutionary steps. Until we eliminate religion, followed by war and use the freed up resources to take better care of each other and the planet we're just angry monkeys that nobody wants anything to do with.

 

[leftysg]

I really wish I could live long enough to see when Aliens to come down and laugh at our primitive ridiculous idea's about "physics".

Alien: Big bang, huh?? So......umm, what was there before this "Big Bang"??
Us: Wow...cool spaceship dude.
Alien: Yeah, it'll go from 0-60 billion times the speed of light in 4.2 seconds.

Crap I just watched War of the Worlds again a couple of weeks ago too.

 

[Budda]

Who had the theory that time is relative?

 

[leftysg]

So if I understand correctly, it's amazing because it's a young black hole that formed in an area that is so distant in time and space that 95% of the remaining universe is younger than that location?
Could it be a wormhole that links other black holes closer to us in time and space? Is it out past its curfew?
Mind blown.

 

[laristotle]

Who had the theory that time is relative?

Pink Floyd?

Time

The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,

 

[Robert1950]

Here is the CBC report. Headline is not quite as dramatic, but it is important.

Supermassive black hole from early universe is farthest ever found

 

[jdto]

I'm convinced we won't "discover" alien life until we take a couple more evolutionary steps. Until we eliminate religion, followed by war and use the freed up resources to take better care of each other and the planet we're just angry monkeys that nobody wants anything to do with.

Yup. Angry monkeys throwing poop at each other.

 

[jb welder]

Until we eliminate religion...

Um, you know they're talking about something that "shouldn't be able to exist, and it just might re-write our understanding of the early universe" right?

 

[Lola]

Pink Floyd?

Time

The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,

Just brilliant.

Good call!(Wayne's world reference)

And with a name like Laristotle is it any wonder?

Quick, sharp and on your toes!

 

[Budda]

Pink Floyd?

Time

The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,

My man.

 

[Adcandour]

You'd figure scientists would realize that their ever-changing definition ultimately influences nothing and move on.

 

[mhammer]

Am I the only one anxiously waiting for this to show up on Big Bang Theory?

 

[butterknucket]

 

[vadsy]

Am I the only one anxiously waiting for this to show up on Big Bang Theory?

the less that shows up on that show the better

 

[LexxM3]

You'd figure scientists would realize that their ever-changing definition ultimately influences nothing and move on.

Actually, naming is absolutely critical in understanding the world. Names allow us to classify, organize, and understand in context quickly enough to allow building further conceptual structures upon each such concept. It is a kind of essential abstraction and modularity to allow rapid reasoning.

Even though naming is essential to progress and discovery, it is not immutable. That is, we can’t allow it to become dogma or forever rigid and must allow the name and concept to change when presented with contradictory evidence.

For example, one might initially assign a name such as “guitarist” to myself, but has to be ready to change to “asshole” instead when presented with new evidence.