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Why are some black holes bigger than others? An astronomer explains how these celestial vacuums grow

Artist drawing of a black hole surrounded by an accretion disk of super-heated gas and dust
Black holes use gravity to pull matter into them. NASA/Chandra X-ray Observatory/M.Weiss via AP

Jaclyn Champagne, University of Arizona

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.
Why are there small and big black holes? Also, why are some black holes invisible and others have white outlines?
Sedra and Humaid, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Black holes are dense astronomical objects with gravity so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Anything that crosses the boundary of a black hole’s gravitational influence, called the event horizon, will fall into the black hole. Inside this deep, dense pit, it is never to be seen again.

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TRUTH in Labeling Act would heighten the warning for shoppers looking to cut sugar, salt and saturated fat intake

Photo of man and woman reading a food label while shopping.
Only about 40% of consumers frequently read the nutrition label. demaerre/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Kimberly Baker, Clemson University

With rising rates of obesity in the U.S. and increasing attention being paid to the health harms of processed foods, it’s clear that far more could be done to help consumers make healthy food choices.

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Breast density and mammograms: New FDA rule will ensure all women have more information after cancer

Photo of a doctor and a patient examining a model of a human breast.
Conversations between patients and doctors are crucial for determining whether supplemental screening would be beneficial. PonyWang/E+ via Getty Images
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How to get your kids ready to go back to school without stress − 5 tips from an experienced school counselor

Photograph of young girl and her mom getting ready for school
Having backpacks ready to go the night before can help students get their school day off to a good start. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Shannon Pickett, Purdue University

The shift from summer vacation to going back to school can be tough for children and their families. Beyond adjusting to new routines, the transition requires handling a mix of emotions. While some kids might feel excited about new teachers and classmates, others may experience anxiety, sadness or uncertainty about the upcoming school year.

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What is mpox? A microbiologist explains what’s known about this smallpox cousin

Photo of M-Pox Lesions on a patients hand
Mpox causes lesions that resemble pus-filled blisters, which eventually scab over. CDC/Getty Images

Rodney E. Rohde, Texas State University

On Aug. 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern. There have been over 15,600 cases and over 530 deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries in Africa. The disease had previously caused a global outbreak from 2022 to 2023.

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Temperature records are being broken around the world

Photograph of a man and his son's entering the desert, next to a sign warning of dangerous heat
Visitors walk past a sign reading ‘Stop: Extreme Heat Danger’ in Death Valley National Park during a heat wave on July 7, 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images

Extreme heat is breaking global records: Why this isn’t ‘just summer,’ and what climate change has to do with it

Mathew Barlow, UMass Lowell and Jeffrey Basara, UMass LowellA month into summer 2024, the vast majority of the U.S. population had already experienced at least one extreme heat wave, and millions of people were under heat alerts, with forecasts warning of more ahead.

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Antibiotic-resistant infections on the rise

Photograph of an elderly patient in a hospital bed speaking with a doctor
Whether a patient or visitor, hand hygiene while at the hospital is critical. Luis Alvarez/Digital Vision via Getty Images

Hospital-acquired infections are rising – here’s how to protect yourself in health care settings

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Heat dome, a term you will be hearing more often in the coming years

Map of North Eastern U.S. showing massive heat dome encompassing several dozen states
A heat dome sent temperatures soaring as summer 2024 was about to begin. Orange is moderate heat risk for June 18, red is major, and purple is extreme. NOAA

What is a heat dome? A meteorologist explains the weather phenomenon baking the northeast quarter of the US

William Gallus, Iowa State UniversityHeat domes, like the one sending temperatures soaring from the Midwest to New England in June 2024, occur when a persistent region of high pressure traps heat over an area. A heat dome can linger for days to weeks, leaving the people, crops and animals below to suffer through stagnant, hot air that can feel like an oven.

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What is meningococcal disease? What symptoms should I look out for? And how can I prevent it?

Photo of a teenager sitting on a bed.
Shutterstock

Professor Helen Marshall, University of Adelaide

Parents and doctors alike fear meningococcal infection, which has been in the news again. Doctors never want to miss a diagnosis, as early treatment with antibiotics may be life-saving. Parents fear the disease because up to 10% of children who become infected die from the disease and its complications.

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Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it

Photo of farm circular fields
Circular irrigation for growing hay and alfalfa near Corcoran, Calif. − a water-intensive system that relies on groundwater pumping. George Rose/Getty Images

Scott Jasechko, University of California, Santa Barbara; Debra Perrone, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Richard Taylor, UCL

If you stand at practically any point on Earth, there is water moving through the ground beneath your feet. Groundwater provides about half of the world’s population with drinking water and nearly half of all water used to irrigate crops. It sustains rivers, lakes and wetlands during droughts.

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