A new study conducted by Northwestern University has revealed new details about the voracious appetite of black holes. While it is known that black holes do not eat like living organisms, their gravitational attraction allows them to devour nearby objects such as gas, dust, and even stars. This process is commonly referred to as “feeding.”

Traditionally, it was believed that black holes consumed matter around them at a slow rate, following the predictions of the classical accretion disk theory. However, the new research, which used advanced 3D simulations, has shown that this assumption is incorrect.

The study found that black holes tear through their accretion disk at astonishingly fast speeds, devouring it in a whirlwind. An accretion disk is a disk of matter that spirals towards a black hole. This disk forms when the black hole is in a binary system with a companion star or when it is surrounded by a cloud of gas and dust. The immense gravitational force of the black hole attracts these elements, causing them to spiral into the depths of the black hole.

The discovery of this accelerated consumption provides valuable insights into the behavior of black holes and their impact on their surroundings. Researchers at Northwestern University hope that this new understanding can help scientists unravel the mysteries surrounding these enigmatic cosmic entities.

In conclusion, the insatiable hunger of black holes leads them to consume their surroundings much faster than previously believed. Through their immense gravitational attraction, they rapidly consume gas, dust, and even stars. The recent study conducted by Northwestern University, based on 3D simulations, has uncovered this rapid consumption, providing new insights into the behavior of black holes.

Sources:
– Northwestern University Study