2. Accretion Disks: Engines of Growth
Surrounding many black holes lie accretion disks—whirling rings of gas and dust spiraling inward. These disks act as cosmic fuel pumps, channeling material directly onto the black hole and driving its growth.
Accretion rates can vary dramatically: stellar-mass black holes may feed sporadically, while supermassive black holes at galactic centers can devour matter at astonishing rates. According to Science News, the efficiency and power of these disks reveal vital clues about the evolution of both black holes and their host galaxies.