At https://phys.org/news/2021-07-black-hole.html … peering at X-rays flaring out of a black hole 800 million light years away, a series of smaller flashes of light were seen. They are thought to be a reflection of the main X-ray flare – but are they?
At https://phys.org/news/2021-07-magnetic-balding-black-holes-relativity.html … a computer simulation of magnetic fields surrounding a black hole. The simulation is said to have shown field lines breaking and reconnecting with pockets of plasma launched into the black hole – or outwards, into space. Einstein's 'general relativity' predicts, we are told, that no matter what a black hole consumes its external properties depend only on its mass, its rotation, and its electric charge. Is the last bit a recent addition, or a new interpretation of relativity? However, if a black hole has a long lived magnetic field this part of general relativity will be compromised – we are told. To get around this unwelcome anomaly they say magnetic fields around a black hole break and reconnect, creating plumes of plasma. This process would drain the magnetic field of its energy – and may explain flares near black holes. It seems scientists are desperate to incorporate electro-magnetism into the research and the assumption is that flares accompany black holes. One might say, in contrast, the X-ray and the flare are the black hole – but that is a step too far it would seem. Mind you, it is worth while, for the moment, sticking to Einstein and general relativity, and incorporating magnetic fields into the picture – but there is obviously more yet to discover. Expect updates as the new discoveries kick in with the recently installed telescope arrays.
At https://phys.org/news/2021-07-magnetic-fields-implicated-mysterious-midl… … magnetic fields are implicated in the mysterious midlife crisis of stars. Did you know stars had a mid life crisis – or did not perform per mainstream thinking? Not many people I would guess – apart from the insiders. It is said slower rotation of stars leads to altered magnetic fields and less stellar activity.
At https://phys.org/news/2021-07-astronomers-uncover-briefest-supernova-pow… … concerns gamma ray bursts amid supernova explosions – and mainstream thinking.