Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

That Photo Of A Black Hole Is Reminding People Of Some Things That Are Definitely Not Black Holes

That Photo Of A Black Hole Is Reminding People Of Some Things That Are Definitely Not Black Holes
National Science Foundation, @RaymondArroyo/Twitter

After decades of speculation and CGI renderings, scientists released the first real image of a black hole on Wednesday.

At least that's what they told us it was, but Twitter had some other ideas.


Up until yesterday, the only images we had of black holes were illustrations or computer renderings based on the little we knew about the celestial phenomenons.

Which isn't surprising, because how exactly does one take a picture of an infinitely dense object from which no light can escape?

Well scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope found a way.

On Wednesday members from the EHT team and the National Science Foundation unveiled the first ever recorded image of a black hole.

Using radio telescopes stationed around the world synchronized with an atomic clock the the EHT team gathered trillions of bits of data to form the image of the supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy M87.

It was something no human had ever seen.

So that's what a black hole looks like?

Huh.

Kinda blurry.

Being used to stylized renderings from NASA and the the pretty pretty lights in movies like Interstellar the somewhat blurry image might not have been what many expected a black hole to look like, but that's what you get with a #nofilter image of an object 54 million light years away.

But the importance of the image wasn't lost on Twitter.



Even if it was a bit...fuzzy.


Twitter being Twitter though, it didn't take long before the solemnity of the moment wore off and people started memeing about what the image actually reminded them of.












In fact some were convinced they had taken the exact same photo before.





Of course with an image that looked like a giant, fiery eyeball in the sky we all knew the one comparison that would eventually have to be made.




Though the images might not match our expectations quite yet, actually seeing a black hole for the first time is a tremendous step forward thanks to those on the EHT team, including Dr. Katie Bouman.


After astronomers gathered 5 petabytes of data on the black hole Dr. Bouman's team turned that data into the historic image we now see.

Let's just hope they turn the auto focus on for the next picture though.

More from Trending

TikToker films Stan Lee’s return as an AI hologram at L.A. Comic Con.
@melmadog/TikTok

Stan Lee AI Hologram Unsettles Fans

In 2016, Stan Lee told the Hollywood Reporter that “Los Angeles is, to me, the center of the world’s entertainment. It has to have a Comic Con.”

This year’s convention, held Sept. 26–28, delivered on that vision in a way no one exactly put on their wish list—by resurrecting the late Marvel legend as an AI-powered hologram. That’s right: between the swag, panels, and trailer drops, fans were invited to “meet” Lee, who passed away in 2018 at age 95, via a digital stand-in programmed to chat like the real thing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ne-Yo shoved a stage-crashing fan during a Japan concert.
@CelebRapInsider/Twitter

Ne-Yo Attacked by Fan

Ne-Yo is “So Sick” of anyone disrespecting his stage.

During a performance in Kobe, Japan, on Saturday, Sept. 27, the R&B superstar shoved a fan off stage after they tried to get "Closer” mid-performance at the Glion Arena.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tom Holland and Zendaya
James Devaney/GC Images

Tom Holland Swiftly Corrects Reporter Who Called Zendaya His 'Girlfriend'—And Fans Are Obsessed

Some love is quiet and unassuming, known mostly to those in love and few else.

Actors Tom Holland and Zendaya have been largely quiet about their engagement, but when the Spider-Man actor appeared recently at a press event, he was more forthcoming about his relationship status.

Keep ReadingShow less
Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel on each other's shows
@jimmykimmel/Threads

Jimmy Kimmel And Stephen Colbert Unload On Trump In Rare Crossover Event As Guests On Each Other's Shows

Late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert were each other's guests in a special crossover event on Tuesday and took the opportunity to call out "son of a b*tch" President Donald Trump, who has used his influence in attempts to silence them for criticizing him and his MAGA movement on the air.

Last week, ABC announced it would end its suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! just a week after Trump pushed to get host Jimmy Kimmel off the air following comments Kimmel made about the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk. ABC had had internal discussions with Disney, which saw a wave of subscriber cancellations in the wake of Kimmel's suspension.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tina Turner
Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images

A Massive Sculpture Of Tina Turner Was Just Unveiled—And It's Going Viral For All The Wrong Reasons

When it comes to entertainment legends, the late singer Tina Turner is right at the top of the pantheon.

And fittingly, the songstress' hometown of Brownsville, Tennessee, wanted to pay tribute to her legacy with giant statue of the icon.

Keep ReadingShow less