Astronomers have identified a colossal black hole from the early universe that appears to be "napping" after consuming an extraordinary amount of material. Detected using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, this black hole resides in a galaxy that existed just 800 million years after the Big Bang.

Weighing in at 400 million times the mass of the Sun, it is among the most massive black holes observed at such an early stage of cosmic history. Surprisingly, this black hole constitutes about 40 percent of its host galaxy's total mass, a stark contrast to typical black holes in the local universe, which usually account for only 0.1 percent of their host galaxy's mass. Despite its immense size, it is currently accreting gas at a rate 100 times below its theoretical maximum, rendering it effectively dormant.

This discovery challenges conventional models of black hole growth. Researchers propose that black holes undergo brief phases of rapid feeding, followed by long periods of dormancy. These findings, published in Nature, suggest that black holes may grow rapidly in bursts before entering prolonged inactive states.

Dormant black holes are inherently harder to detect due to their lower luminosity. They are observed indirectly via the glow of their accretion discs, where gas becomes superheated as it spirals toward the black hole, radiating energy in the ultraviolet spectrum.

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"Even in its dormant state, the sheer size of this black hole made it possible to detect," said Ignas Juodžbalis of Cambridge's Kavli Institute for Cosmology, who led the research. "Its inactivity also allowed us to estimate the mass of its host galaxy. The early universe managed to create some incredible giants, even in small galaxies."

Standard black hole formation models suggest they originate from the remnants of dead stars and grow within limits imposed by the Eddington limit, where radiation pressure balances gravitational pull. However, the size of this black hole hints that these models may not fully explain its growth.

"It's possible that black holes are 'born big,' or that they grow during hyperactive periods interspersed with long dormancy," said co-author Roberto Maiolino from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory.

Simulations conducted by the research team suggest that black holes can temporarily exceed the Eddington limit, allowing for rapid growth spurts lasting five to ten million years, followed by dormancy periods spanning roughly 100 million years. These bursts of activity enable black holes to amass significant mass while spending most of their existence in a dormant state.

This discovery provides new insights into black hole evolution and underscores the difficulty of detecting dormant black holes. "This result was the first major finding of my PhD, and it took some time to grasp its full significance," said Juodžbalis. "But it’s likely just the tip of the iceberg, as many early-universe black holes may spend most of their time dormant."

The findings highlight the importance of continued exploration with advanced telescopes like Webb to unravel the mysteries of black hole growth and their role in shaping the universe.