UniverseMODEL

Can Dark Matter Feed a Tiny Black Hole Inside a Star?

By Space.Fan Editorial DeskSeptember 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM UTC

New research suggests that a hidden, tiny black hole could survive and grow inside a star by eating dark matter.

Image · Phys.org

The Drop

A long time ago, physicist Stephen Hawking figured out that black holes slowly lose energy until they disappear. Because of this, very tiny black holes are usually expected to vanish quickly. However, new computer models suggest that if a tiny black hole is trapped inside a dense star, it might have a way to survive and even grow. The secret ingredient is dark matter. Scientists believe that stars like white dwarfs or neutron stars can capture invisible particles of dark matter. If these particles build up in the center of a star, they could collapse to form an extremely small, heavy black hole. This black hole would be about the size of a heavy truck, which is tiny in space terms. Instead of disappearing, it could feed on the surrounding gas of the star to get bigger. Researchers tested this idea by looking at the tug-of-war between two forces. One force is the black hole losing energy, and the other is the black hole gaining mass by eating stellar material and dark matter. The study shows that in certain parts of our galaxy, there is enough dark matter to keep these tiny black holes growing instead of evaporating. If they grow enough, they could eventually swallow the star from the inside out.

Why It Matters

This discovery matters because it helps us understand the mysterious relationship between stars and dark matter. By studying how these black holes might destroy stars, researchers can actually use old stars as giant detectors to learn about the nature of dark matter particles.

The Catch

This result comes from mathematical models and simulations, not from watching a black hole inside a star directly. Because we haven't seen one yet, it is still a theory that needs more proof, and it relies on assumptions about how dark matter behaves inside a star.

Put That in Perspective

Scientists plan to look for very old, long-lasting stars to test this theory. If these tiny black holes were common, these old stars would have been destroyed a long time ago. Since we can still see these ancient stars, it helps researchers limit how much dark matter might be interacting with them.

Source September 5, 2026

Chandrachur Chakraborty, H. A. Adarsha, Sudip Bhattacharyya

Manipal Center for Natural Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research·Physical Review D·10.1103/zb1m-762n

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