Overview

• Astrophysicists at the University of Kent have discovered that galaxies control their growth via a mechanism likened to 'breathing.'
• Supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies emit bi-polar jets of gas and radiation, acting like a heart and lungs.
• Pulses from these black holes create pressure ripples that inhibit excessive gas absorption, preventing galaxies from growing too large.
• Simulations show these pressure ripples, similar to sound waves, help sustain the ambient environment around galaxies.
• Without this mechanism, galaxies would have exhausted their fuel and become 'zombie' galaxies filled with dead stars.