![hole 7 gravity lab hole 7 gravity lab](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TlDUkFntiVg/maxres2.jpg)
However, as the star collapses, a strange thing occurs. (Smaller stars become dense neutron stars, which are not massive enough to trap light.) If the total mass of the star is large enough (about three times the mass of the Sun), it can be proven theoretically that no force can keep the star from collapsing under the influence of gravity.
![hole 7 gravity lab hole 7 gravity lab](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oLG0y.png)
Most black holes form from the remnants of a large star that dies in a supernova explosion. One Star's End is a Black Hole's Beginning Recent discoveries offer some tantalizing evidence that black holes have a dramatic influence on the neighborhoods around them - emitting powerful gamma ray bursts, devouring nearby stars, and spurring the growth of new stars in some areas while stalling it in others. As the attracted matter accelerates and heats up, it emits x-rays that radiate into space. In this case, the black hole can tear the star apart as it pulls it toward itself. A similar process can occur if a normal star passes close to a black hole. If a black hole passes through a cloud of interstellar matter, for example, it will draw matter inward in a process known as accretion. We can, however, infer the presence of black holes and study them by detecting their effect on other matter nearby. Scientists can't directly observe black holes with telescopes that detect x-rays, light, or other forms of electromagnetic radiation.