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Back from the Dead: Restarted Black Hole activity discovered in a Giant Radio Galaxy under extreme cosmic pressure

This research was part of a global effort, involving experts from India and Poland. Apart from the lead authors, Dr. Surajit Paul from the Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences in India and Dr. Marek Jamrozy, of Jagiellonian University in Poland also played an important part in this research

4 min readPuneUpdated: Feb 3, 2026 09:19 PM IST

Restarted Black Hole activity discovered

Low-frequency radio image of the giant radio galaxy J1007+3540. Here, two streams of jets coming out from the center of the host galaxy are observable. The break in the jet signifies the collision between the jet itself and the surrounding cluster medium. (Special Arrangement)

A rare “giant” radio galaxy named J1007+3540 has been discovered by astronomers who used some of the world’s most powerful telescopes including the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT), located 80 kms from Pune.

Using the unique low-frequency capabilities of the upgraded GMRT (operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics -Tata Institute of Fundamental Research – Pune) the team witnessed a monster black hole `waking up’ after a 100-million year silence.

The team of astronomers that captured this rare moment in cosmic history was led by Dr Sabyasachi Pal, Associate Professor and Head of Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Midnapore city college,West Bengal and Principal Investigator along with Shobha Kumari (PhD Student and Lead Author) and others.

This research was part of a global effort, involving experts from India and Poland. Apart from the lead authors, Dr. Surajit Paul from the Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences in India and Dr. Marek Jamrozy, of Jagiellonian University in Poland also played an important part in this research. Their findings were recently published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, one of the leading astronomy journals.

Also Read | Astronomers may have found the most distant supermassive black hole using the James Webb Space Telescope

“Our research shows how extreme cosmic pressure in a galaxy cluster is physically sculpting these fresh energy gets,” Dr Pal ssaid. Astronomers explained that this galaxy is very gigantic, spanning over 3 million light-years.

“To put that in perspective, it is 50 times wider than our own Milky Way. However, life for this galaxy is far from peaceful. It sits in the middle of a “galaxy cluster,” a crowded neighborhood filled with searing-hot gas. This gas creates immense pressure, acting like a heavy atmosphere that tries to crush everything inside it,” Dr Pal added.

By studying the radio waves emitted by this galaxy, scientists said that the images reveal a “double-double” structure—a pair of bright, fresh energy jets nested inside much older, fainter ones—which proves the central black hole has recently re-ignited after a long period of silence. As these new jets blast outward, they are locked in a struggle with their surroundings; the intense pressure from the hot gas in the galaxy cluster is actually pushing the jet’s plasma sideways, creating striking curved shapes.

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The team witnessed a monster black hole `waking up' after a 100-million year silence.

“This hostile environment has not only distorted the ancient plasma but is also stripping material away from the galaxy as it moves, leaving behind a wispy, millions-of-years-old trail known as a “galactic wake”. This galaxy isn’t just growing; it’s fighting for survival,” Dr Pal further explained. It acts as a natural laboratory for scientists to see how black holes turn on and off, and how they shape the universe around them. Astronomers said that it was `a violent, beautiful “tug-of-war” between the power of a black hole and the crushing weight of deep space.’

The low-frequency Band 3 (250–500 MHz) image of J1007+3540 using uGMRT helped to trace the extended diffuse emission,showing the large-scale tail as well as the inner episodic jet and associated distorted outflow structures. The uGMRT image was further used to study the spectral properties of the source. In particular, the spatial distribution of the spectral index for the different parts of the structure helped to understand the ageing nature of the radio emission in the particular region.

By studying this unique system, scientists can finally observe the full life cycle of supermassive black holes—from how they power up to how they fall silent and eventually “wake up” again.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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