Mass universe

Monster black hole found in early galaxy

- BY DANNY DE VAAL

SCIENTISTS have uncovered a cosmic monster lurking in one of the universe's earliest galaxies - and it's growing at a staggering pace.

Using the ultra-powerful NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, researchers have confirmed the presence of an actively feeding supermassive black hole inside a tiny, distant galaxy formed just 570 million years after the Big Bang.

The galaxy, known as CANUCS-LRD-28.6, is part of a mysterious group of faint crimson objects that have baffled astronomers - the so-called Little Red Dots.

These ancient mini-galaxies, spotted in increasing numbers since Webb began surveying the early cosmos, are brighter and redder than expected. And this latest discovery may finally offer a crucial clue to why.