<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>There is ongoing research into the question of whether there is a fundamental relationship between the mass of a supermassive black hole and the mass of its surrounding galaxy.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />This relies on the probably misguided assumption that "black holes" are real, that they are anything more than just the mathematical constructs that they actually are. It also asumes that mass and gravity are the only forces active in the universe. I don't think that we can safely assume that anymore, given the wealth of observations that would falsify any other not-so-pet theory. Yes, mass and gravity CAN do what we are seeing, but are they? What else could be going on? I think that it has been crippling to further innovation in astronomy and other sciences to believe that we know all there is to know about celestial history and mechanics, and galactic formation.<br /><br />darrylgalasso: That's an interesting hypothosis. Again, I would caution that it is entirely possible that the "Big Bang" never happened and that "black holes" (never mind "supermassive" ones) are not real; that they exist ONLY in the imaginations of astronomers and the mathematical equations which describe a universe controlled by mass and gravity. Unfortunately, I don't think that those equations describe OUR universe. There are other, much more elegant and comprehensive theories than the one currently in vogue. For example, there's this one that sums up my position pretty well:<br /><br />"The novelty plasma ball demonstrates many of the properties of plasma that can be seen in the Sun, in nebulae, and in galaxies.<br /><br />"...[T]he spherical electrode in the centre of a plasma ball shows a blue filamentary streamer... Thousands of volts of electricity ionize the gas in the globe, ripping electrons from molecules and atoms. As electrons recombine with the ions, the gas gives off light. The colors depend on the kind of gas filling the glo <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>