An obscured population of massive black holes has been unveiled by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), offering crucial insights into active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their role in early universe evolution. These hidden quasars, cloaked in dust, bridge the gap between quasars and the recently discovered “Little Red Dots” (LRDs), red spots spotted since December 2022.
Led by Dale Kocevski of Colby College and featuring Jorryt Matthee of the Institute of Science and Technology, the research shows dust-shrouded AGNs remain detectable because of their luminosity. Yoshiki Matsuoka, an associate professor at the Research Center for Space, told Live Science that nine out of 13 galaxies examined show signs of supermassive black holes concealed by heavy dust.
Reported on May 7, 2025, via arXiv, the findings reveal that hidden quasars were abundant in the early cosmos. Jorryt Matthee suggests these objects fill the missing population between known AGN types, shedding light on black hole formation and growth.
Future observations of 30 additional candidates with Subaru Telescope aim to compare dusty quasars and LRD behaviors, while gas analyses will decode the nature of Little Red Dots. This discovery reshapes our understanding of AGN demographics and the evolution of massive black holes.
