Scientists Uncover Common Rule for Black Hole Jet Activity

WHO:

Phys.org - Dr. Adelle Goodwin, an astrophysicist at Curtin University in Western Australia, and Dr. Andrew Mummery from the Institute for Advanced Study.

The Guardian - Dr. Sara Webb, an astrophysicist at Swinburne University, who was not involved in the research.

WHAT:

Phys.org - A universal rule behind black holes launching jets has been uncovered, indicating that black holes fire off powerful jets at the same critical point in their feeding cycle.

The Guardian - The research published in the journal Nature Astronomy shows that black holes release jets in two distinct phases during their feeding cycle.

The Guardian - The first phase occurs when the black hole is feeding at very high rates, and the second phase occurs hundreds to thousands of days after the star is torn apart, when the feeding rate drops to about 2% of the maximum rate.

WHERE:

Phys.org - The research was conducted in Western Australia.

WHEN:

The Guardian - The research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

WHY:

The Guardian - The findings will enable scientists to predict when jets will be released, narrowing observation windows and optimizing telescope time.

HOW:

The Guardian - The researchers used radio telescopes to study 20 tidal disruption events, which are instances where stars are consumed by supermassive black holes.

(UPDATED September 17, 2026 20:03 UTC)

A groundbreaking discovery has been made by Dr. Adelle Goodwin from Curtin University and Dr. Andrew Mummery from the Institute for Advanced Study, revealing a universal rule that governs how black holes launch powerful jets during their feeding cycles. The research, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, indicates that black holes emit jets in two distinct phases: the first when they are feeding at high rates, and the second occurring hundreds to thousands of days later when their feeding rate drops significantly. By studying 20 tidal disruption events with radio telescopes, the researchers aim to help scientists predict when these jets will be released, which will enhance observation efficiency and telescope usage.