Core Viewpoint - A joint team from the University of Portsmouth and the Federal University of Brazil has discovered the largest black hole to date, located in the "Cosmic Horseshoe" galaxy, with a mass of 36 billion times that of the Sun, approaching the theoretical limit for black hole mass [1]. Group 1 - The innovative method used by the research team combines gravitational lensing effects with stellar kinematics analysis, which is considered the gold standard for measuring black hole mass [1][4]. - The team detected that the black hole altered the path of light passing nearby and that stars in the core region of the host galaxy are moving at nearly 400 kilometers per second [3]. - This method is particularly effective in detecting "dormant" black holes that are not actively accreting material, opening new avenues for discovering more supermassive black holes [4]. Group 2 - The discovery is significant for understanding the symbiotic relationship between galaxies and their central supermassive black holes, where galaxies supply material to the black holes, leading to their growth and influencing the evolution of the entire galaxy [4]. - The team plans to use the Euclid space telescope to search for more supermassive black holes and reveal their role in the process of star formation [5].

Core Insights - Astronomers have discovered a black hole with a mass approximately 36.3 billion times that of the Sun, potentially the largest black hole detected to date [1][3] Group 1: Discovery and Measurement - The black hole is located in the "Cosmic Horseshoe" galaxy, which is one of the most massive known galaxies [1] - The research team, led by Professor Thomas Collett from the University of Portsmouth, measured the speed of stars orbiting the black hole and the degree of light bending caused by its gravity to confirm its existence [3] - The black hole's mass was determined through a combination of these measurements, with stars moving at speeds nearly reaching 400 kilometers per second [3] Group 2: Implications and Context - The discovery aligns with previous research indicating that a supermassive black hole must exist at the center of the "Cosmic Horseshoe" for the model of dark matter distribution to match observational data [3] - This black hole is categorized as a "sleeping" black hole, meaning it is not actively accreting material, and its detection relies solely on its immense gravitational influence [3][4] - The findings provide new insights into the relationship between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, suggesting that the black hole may have formed from the merger of supermassive black holes from satellite galaxies [4]