Astronomers set out to unravel creation of first supermassive black holes

An international team of astronomers is planning to use gravitational wave data to unravel the formation processes that created the first supermassive black holes. These gargantuan black holes lurk at the centre of most galaxies, including our own Milky Way, playing a pivotal role in galaxy formation and evolution.

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> So far astronomers have failed to rally around a single theory to explain the creation process that produces supermassive black holes.

True.

> planning to use gravitational wave data to unravel the formation processes that created the first supermassive black holes.

Only a year ago I would have said that that was impossible, because the first supermassive black holes are far too far away to detect in gravitational waves. Since then I’ve revised my thinking, with LISA it may just be possible.