What are supermassive black holes? Everything you need to know – and what astronomers are still learning – about these mysterious objects

Black holes are a mainstay in sci-fi movies. How do these massive black holes, spread throughout our universe, actually work in real life?

By: Mary Ogborn, Penn State, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 25, 2026

Words: 1,283

Last Updated: 4 weeks ago

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By Mary Ogborn, Penn State

Nearly every massive galaxy observed hosts a supermassive black hole at its center. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has discovered that some of these supermassive black holes may even be too big for the galaxy they’re found in, challenging astronomers’ understanding of these objects and prompting questions about their growth in the early universe. Astronomers are still investigating many key questions about these mysterious and powerful objects, and studying them …

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