Supermassive Black Holes and the Evolution of Galaxies

TL;DR

Supermassive black holes, likely remnants of quasars, are common in galaxy centers and have played a significant role in galaxy formation and evolution, as evidenced by recent observational data.

Contribution

This paper reviews recent evidence linking supermassive black holes to galaxy formation and highlights their influence on galaxy structure and evolution.

Findings

Supermassive black holes are present in most galaxy centers.

Black holes have significantly influenced galaxy formation.

Recent observations support their role in galaxy evolution.

Abstract

Black holes, an extreme consequence of the mathematics of General Relativity, have long been suspected of being the prime movers of quasars, which emit more energy than any other objects in the Universe. Recent evidence indicates that supermassive black holes, which are probably quasar remnants, reside at the centers of most galaxies. As our knowledge of the demographics of these relics of a violent earlier Universe improve, we see tantalizing clues that they participated intimately in the formation of galaxies and have strongly influenced their present-day structure.