Cosmic Cannibalism Creates Binary Black Holes

Some black holes are not loners but dance in pairs, locked in a permanent gravitational embrace. These systems act as cosmic anchors, eventually merging to release more energy than all the stars in the universe combined.

When two galaxies collide, the supermassive black holes at their hearts gravitate toward each other and begin to orbit. Over millions of years, they spiral inward, shedding energy until they finally smash together. This violent union sends ripples through space-time known as gravitational waves. Detecting these echoes allows scientists to listen to the most powerful collisions in existence.