Tiny Black Holes May Be Exploding Stars Across the Milky Way

Researchers have discovered that primordial black holes passing through white dwarf stars could trigger Type Ia supernova explosions, potentially explaining chemical abundance patterns observed in stars across the Milky Way. These hypothetical primordial black holes, thought to be remnants from the universe's earliest moments and possible dark matter candidates, could use their gravitational forces to destabilize white dwarfs and cause them to explode. The team's models show that these PBH-triggered supernovae produce properties closely resembling standard Type Ia supernovae observed in real astronomical data.