Dormant for 100 million years, this 'cosmic volcano' black hole has exploded back to life

A supermassive black hole in J1007+3540 has roared back to life after 100 million years, firing jets across nearly one million light years and revealing a turbulent battle inside a galaxy cluster.

February 25, 2026 / 12:50 IST
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After 100 Million Years of Calm, a “Cosmic Volcano” Black Hole Roars Back to Life (Representative Image: Canva)
After 100 Million Years of Calm, a “Cosmic Volcano” Black Hole Roars Back to Life (Representative Image: Canva)
Snapshot AI
Astronomers report that the supermassive black hole in J1007+3540 has restarted after nearly 100 million years of dormancy, launching powerful radio jets stretching almost one million light years. Published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the study used LOFAR and the uGMRT to capture detailed images of layered old and new plasma. The findings show how episodic black hole activity and intense cluster pressure shape the evolution and structure of giant radio galaxies.
first published: Feb 25, 2026 12:50 pm

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