Nine Mind-Bending Facts About Black Holes

By: By Laura Dattaro

Published: October 14, 2013

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Black holes can form when stars collapse in on themselves after death. They keep growing by eating the dust and gas around them. No one's really sure how the biggest ones, called supermassive black holes, are born. (C. Carreau/ESA)

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Black holes are among the most mysterious objects in the universe, making them the subject of much research, discussion and science fiction. Recent theories have posited that every black hole contains a universe — meaning we’re inside a black hole right now — and that the universe itself started when a four-dimensional star collapsed into a black hole. While the physicists and astronomers work out their theories, you can scroll through above and find out some amazing things we already know about these cosmic oddities.
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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Jupiter instead of the moon







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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Saturn instead of the moon

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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Neptune instead of the moon

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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Mars instead of the moon

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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Venus instead of the moon

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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Mercury instead of the moon

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Planet Instead of a Moon?

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Uranus instead of the moon