Rare Supernova Triggered by Black Hole Changes How We See Star Explosions
A rare cosmic event is rewriting what scientists know about the life and death of stars. This time, a supernova collided with a black hole and it didn’t happen by chance.
For the first time, astrophysicists saw a giant star explode because of its interaction with a dense black hole. The star’s attempt to “swallow” the black hole created extreme gravitational stress. That intense pull caused the star to collapse and ignite a massive explosion.
Lead author Alex Gagliano, a fellow at the National Science Foundation’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions, called the discovery a game-changer. “If this phenomenon is more common than we think, it could completely change how we understand the way stars explode,” Gagliano said.
Artificial Intelligence Made the Discovery Possible
Artificial intelligence played a key role in this find. The AI system quickly flagged a star showing strange behavior. Because of this, scientists tracked the event from the very start. They watched as the surprising explosion unfolded in real time.
The research appears in the Astrophysical Journal. It was led by the Center for Astrophysics — a collaboration between Harvard University and the Smithsonian — along with MIT. The project is part of the Young Supernova Experiment, which aims to discover thousands of new stellar explosions.
What Is a Supernova?
A supernova is one of the most powerful events in space. It marks the explosive death of a massive star. Stars, which are giant spheres of gas, live for millions to trillions of years.
When a star several times larger than the Sun runs out of fuel, gravity causes its core to collapse. Shockwaves then blast its outer layers into space. The result is a brilliant cosmic explosion that can outshine entire galaxies.
In this rare case, the collapse happened because a black hole’s gravity pushed the star past its limit. Scientists now think such black hole–triggered supernovas might occur more often than once believed. With better tools, astronomers may soon find many more of these events.
Published in Daily Pak, August 15th, 2025
