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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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Could Dark Matter & Black Holes Be Igniting Supernovae at the Heart of Galaxies?

Our universe is full of mysteries, and one of the most fascinating is how some stars end their lives in spectacular explosions called Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa). These cosmic fireworks are not only breathtaking but also crucial tools for astronomers to measure the universe. Yet, despite decades of study, one question remains: do these explosions happen spontaneously, or are they triggered by external forces? Recent research suggests an intriguing possibility—dark matter and primordial black holes might play a hidden role in lighting up these stellar catastrophes.

White Dwarfs: Stars at the Edge

To understand this story, we first need to look at white dwarfs. These are the remnants of stars like our Sun that have exhausted their fuel. What remains is a dense, compact object roughly the size of Earth but with the mass of the Sun. The core of a white dwarf is supported against gravity by electron degeneracy pressure, a quantum effect that prevents it from collapsing further.

In some cases, when a white dwarf approaches a critical mass, known as the Chandrasekhar limit (about 1.4 times the mass of the Sun), its core can ignite carbon in a runaway reaction. This ignition causes the star to explode in a Type Ia supernova, releasing enormous energy and dispersing heavy elements like iron and nickel into space. These explosions have been essential for measuring cosmic distances because of their consistent brightness.

Triggering the Explosion: Spontaneous or Induced?

For decades, scientists have debated whether Type Ia supernovae occur spontaneously or if an external trigger is needed. Spontaneous explosions would mean that a white dwarf naturally reaches the conditions for carbon ignition. However, new studies suggest that collisions with exotic objects like primordial black holes (PBHs) or interactions with dark matter could act as a trigger.

Primordial black holes are hypothetical objects formed in the early universe, long before stars and galaxies existed. Unlike black holes formed from collapsing stars, PBHs could have a wide range of masses, including very small ones, possibly even as small as the Moon. When a PBH collides with a white dwarf, the kinetic energy it carries can heat the star’s core.

Even a lunar-mass black hole passing through a white dwarf could raise the degenerate core’s temperature by at least a degree. This may sound small, but in the delicate balance of a white dwarf’s core, a slight temperature increase can be enough to ignite carbon fusion. Moreover, this estimate is conservative: the specific heat of the core particles is actually lower than the simple models suggest, and gravitational focusing accelerates the incoming black hole, adding more energy to the impact.

Collisions in the Galactic Bulge

The centers of galaxies, known as galactic bulges, are densely packed regions containing billions of stars. They are also expected to host a high density of dark matter. This combination makes collisions between stellar remnants, like white dwarfs, and dark matter or PBHs more likely in these regions.

Observationally, astronomers are investigating whether the distribution of Type Ia supernovae matches the distribution of starlight in galaxies or whether they are more concentrated toward galactic centers, as a collision-triggering model would suggest. Current data are inconclusive, but upcoming surveys promise to provide far more insight.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, for example, is expected to detect millions of supernovae in the coming years. With such vast data, scientists will be able to examine whether Type Ia supernovae occur more frequently in the central regions of galaxies, potentially confirming the role of dark matter and PBHs in triggering these explosions.

Simulating Stellar Collisions

Recent advances in computational astrophysics have allowed researchers to simulate these triggering events in detail. For instance, studies by Leung et al. (2025) provide physical models of how a PBH passing through a white dwarf could initiate carbon ignition. Earlier simulations, such as those by Graham et al. (2015), laid the groundwork by exploring the effects of heating and shock waves in dense stellar cores.

These simulations indicate that the triggering process is feasible. When a PBH or dense dark matter clump moves through a white dwarf, it deposits energy along its path. This energy can locally increase temperature and pressure, effectively “lighting the fuse” for a supernova. The probability of this occurring is highest in areas where dark matter density peaks—again pointing to galactic centers as prime candidates for collision-triggered SNeIa.

Observational Clues and Future Prospects

The question remains: do we see evidence of dark matter-triggered supernovae in real galaxies? Jeremy Mould and colleagues have examined the observational data for hints. If PBHs or dark matter are indeed responsible for some SNeIa, then the rate of these explosions should scale with the square of the local dark matter density. In other words, regions with more dark matter should experience more supernovae.

Simulations, like the Millennium simulation, help model this relationship, predicting where supernovae are most likely to occur based on the distribution of dark matter. Comparing these predictions with future observations from large surveys could provide the first concrete evidence for—or against—collision-induced supernovae.

Why This Matters

Understanding whether dark matter can trigger supernovae is more than a niche question in astrophysics. Type Ia supernovae are used as “standard candles” to measure distances across the universe. If a significant fraction of these explosions are triggered by external collisions rather than spontaneous ignition, it could influence our understanding of cosmic expansion.

Moreover, detecting the effects of PBHs or dark matter through supernova triggering would be a major breakthrough in particle physics and cosmology. Dark matter, which makes up about 85% of the matter in the universe, has so far eluded direct detection. Observing its role in stellar explosions could open an entirely new window into its properties and distribution.

The Road Ahead

The coming decade promises dramatic advances in this field. With next-generation telescopes like the Rubin Observatory and powerful computational models, scientists will be able to test the dark matter-triggering hypothesis with unprecedented precision. Millions of supernovae will be cataloged, and the detailed mapping of their locations relative to galactic centers will provide critical clues.

If future observations confirm that a significant number of Type Ia supernovae are triggered by collisions with primordial black holes or dark matter clumps, it would revolutionize our understanding of both stellar evolution and the invisible components of the universe. It would show that the cosmos is not only shaped by the stars we see but also by the hidden mass that silently orchestrates its most dramatic fireworks.

In the end, the question of whether a white dwarf explodes on its own or is pushed over the edge by dark matter is more than academic—it is a window into the hidden forces shaping our universe. And with the astronomical tools and simulations now at our disposal, the answer may finally be within reach.

Reference: Jeremy Mould, "Are carbon deflagration supernovae triggered by dark matter ?", Arxiv, 2026. https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09274


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