Ever Wondered Just How Large Can Black Holes Get?
Black holes are essentially the end of the universe. They are the end of space and time as we know it.
NASA describes them more plainly, noting that they are a place where an incomprehensible amount of matter meets, and where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. Because no light can get out, black holes (obviously) cannot be seen. In order to see and study them, scientists need special space telescopes with distinct tools, such as radar technologies, to spot them via their emissions.
Since black holes are formed by large amounts of matter, all black holes are big, but they do range in size. In fact, black holes are categorized into four groups: miniature/small black holes (but note that "small"is relative. They are still super huge.), intermediate black holes, stellar black holes, and supermassive black holes.
But just how big are the largest these supermassive black holes? How huge does a black hole have to be to garner such a title?
The video here puts different black holes into perspective. And indeed, when these types of black holes are compared to other massive celestial objects, we get an idea of their exact size, and it is mind-boggling.
There has been a lot of talk about China and a new Sputnik moment for America, but such talk ignores why the original Sputnik moment was so traumatizing.