The team used some of the most powerful telescopes in the world and collected data in different wavelengths of light.
At first, researchers used optical andinfrared data to highlight galaxies in which star formation continues and those in which it has stopped. The next step is for scientists to collect X-ray and radio data to determine the activity of supermassive black holes in these galaxies. Because of them, star formation could potentially stop.
When a supermassive black hole is active, it absorbs massive amounts of matter from the space around it. It's a messy process that can't be stopped.
It is believed that all three forms of influence of a black hole on the galaxy - its radiation, jets and winds - heat up and repel cold molecular gas, which is needed for the formation of young stars.
When the authors studied selected old galaxies,they found a signal indicating that there is an active supermassive black hole there. The researchers concluded that it was likely that this active supermassive black hole could destroy galaxies.
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