The Universe's First Black Holes May Have Caused Star Explosions

Scientists have suggested that primordial black holes, which are thought to have formed in the early universe, could trigger supernovae explosions by disrupting white dwarf stars. This process may have also shaped the chemical composition of stars in the Milky Way. An international research team found that primordial black holes could cause Type Ia supernovae by passing through white dwarf stars and destabilizing them. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, suggests that this mechanism could explain some of the observed chemical element distributions in the Milky Way. Primordial black holes are thought to have formed during the cosmic expansion that occurred shortly after the Big Bang. Scientists believe that these small black holes could move through the galaxy, occasionally passing through white dwarf stars and causing a strong gravitational effect that disrupts the star's balance and leads to a thermonuclear explosion.