Little red dots in images of the early universe have stumped astronomers over the last few years. Astronomers now think they’re a distinct class of celestial object called “black hole stars.”
Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, Vasily Kokorev (UT Austin); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
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Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, Vasily Kokorev (UT Austin); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
You’ve heard of black holes. You’ve heard of stars. But have you heard of the newly discovered black hole stars that may explain multiple mysteries of the universe? We just did and we’re honestly freaking out about it. Learn everything you need to know about it in this episode. Plus, hear some other cool stories fresh off the presses: Which exercise can help reduce your risk of dementia and how shrews shrink — and then regrow — parts of their body throughout the year.
Interested in hearing more reporting on space, scientific mysteries or other emerging science? We want to know! Email us what you’d like us to talk about at shortwave@npr.org!
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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy and Kai McNamee. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intaliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineers were Jimmy Keeley and Ted Mebane.