Space shock: Astronomers discover stunning ‘lighthouse beam’ with answers to start of life

The blackhole, which is 4.3 million times bigger than the Sun, has been feeding itself at an unprecedented rate, consuming huge amounts of gas, dust and anything in its vicinity.

Scientists became curious when they discovered it glowing twice as brightly as normal, with a surreal light emanating outside its “point of no return” beyond which no matter can escape.

Andrea Ghez, UCLA professor of physics and astronomy: “We have never seen anything like this in the 24 years we have studied the supermassive black hole.