DESI Uncovers Largest Collection of Dwarf Galaxies Hosting Active Black Holes

An international team using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has discovered the largest collection of dwarf galaxies with active black holes. The study also identified a record number of potential intermediate-mass black holes, believed to be remnants from the early Universe. DESI, located in Arizona, can capture light from 5,000 galaxies simultaneously. The team analyzed data from 410,000 galaxies, including 115,000 dwarf galaxies. This data enabled the study of the relationship between black holes and the evolution of dwarf galaxies and identified 300 potential intermediate-mass black holes. UK institutions, including Durham University and UCL, contributed to the design and construction of DESI.