Distant X-ray Dot Could Unveil How Early Black Holes Grew

Astronomers using Webb and Chandra detected a faint, compact red source about 11.8 billion light-years away (3DHST-AEGIS-12014) that emits X-rays, unlike most little red dots. This could represent a transitional phase where a rapidly growing black hole is still buried in dense gas, helping link the LRD population to conventional active black holes and refining models of black hole formation in the early universe, though alternative explanations exist and further observations are needed.