Do you need something to do tonight? How about spending some time searching for a black hole or two in our Milky Way?
If you don’t believe me, then check out the website for Black Hole Hunters. You will be searching data obtained from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Within this data are an black holes that can be detected through gravitational microlensing where a large object passes in front of a star and bends that star’s light.
The site states it has already worked with about 23,300 volunteers who have completed about 23 percent of the workload. That means there is still plenty of work still remaining. You do not need any special training, just your eyes and your curiosity.
It it not clear why they have not turned this over to AI. Maybe humans can still do something that AI cannot yet do. Or maybe this work is training the AI. Whatever the case, it is still something fun and unique. And when someone asked you waht you did the other night, you have an answer that may turn a head or two.
So start searching.
