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

yellow note with "I QUIT!" on keyboard
Nick Fewings on Unsplash

People's Best 'F—k This, I Don't Get Paid Enough' Work Experiences

In 1977, singer and songwriter Johnny Paycheck scored a mega hit with his working-class anthem, "Take This Job and Shove It."

The lyrics embodied the sentiments of workers and their ultimate fantasy of telling off their boss, as the chorus said:

Keep ReadingShow less
Lauren Boebert; Kid Rock
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Lauren Boebert In Hot Water After She's Busted Spending Campaign Funds On Kid Rock Concert Tickets

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert is facing criticism after Federal Election Commission (FEC) records showed she spent over $3,300 of her campaign funds on concert tickets and a hotel in Texas on the same weekend her once-rumored boyfriend—MAGA singer Kid Rock—was performing.

Boebert’s campaign reported expenses for a hotel stay in Arlington, Texas, and for event tickets purchased in May. On May 16, Boebert attended the Rock N Rodeo — part of the Professional Bull Riding Championship World Finals at AT&T Stadium — an event hosted by Kid Rock. She even shared a photo of herself with the singer on social media.

Keep ReadingShow less
Left: Ron Perlman; Right: Harvey Weinstein during a court appearance.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Ron Perlman Leaves Fans Stunned With Story About Peeing On His Hand Before Shaking Harvey Weinstein's

During an especially unsanitary round of storytime on Inside of You with Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum, Ron Perlman resurrected one of Hollywood’s most infamous bits of petty rebellion: the “pee-pee handshake” he claims he once served to convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

Back in the political chaos of 2018, the Sons of Anarchy star revealed that he deliberately peed on his hand before greeting Weinstein at a charity event.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@unpunishablewoman's TikTok video
@unpunishablewoman/TikTok

Single Woman Explains Why Married Women Are 'Self-Centered' In Their Friendships—And People Have Thoughts

There's nothing quite like the feeling of investing so much of yourself into your friendships and realizing that these people you love are unwilling to reciprocate your love and care.

In recent years, it's become an increasingly common and devastating problem for single women to feel taken advantage of by their married friends. They often feel pressured to support their married friends in their milestones, especially when it comes to their kids, while their milestones as a single person are ignored.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @helsmcp's TikTok video
@helsmcp/TikTok

TikToker Sparks Debate After Saying She's Suffering From 'Millennial Age Dysmorphia'

Did you know that experiencing trauma, even at a societal level, can have a lasting impact on your brain development, your aging process, and your perception of your age and capabilities?

Millennials, especially Elder Millennials, have become a classic example of this, and it's a wide-spread problem.

Keep ReadingShow less