Scientists discover space tornadoes near Milky Way's black hole

Scientists have achieved a clearer view of "space tornadoes" near the Milky Way's black hole. These swirling structures could help spread organic molecules across the galaxy. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, researchers examined the central molecular zone (CMZ) of our galaxy. This area surrounds the supermassive black hole and features clouds of gas and dust. The new observations are 100 times sharper than previous images. The team focused on tracing molecular compounds like silicon monoxide. This helped them uncover new details about the cosmic dust storms. They discovered slender filament structures that behave differently from their surroundings. The researchers described these filaments as violent streams of gas. They move quickly and seem to distribute materials efficiently. This includes complex organic molecules such as methanol and cyanoacetylene. Further studies with ALMA will aim to find out how common these filaments are in the CMZ. The goal is to see how they contribute to the cycling of molecules in this region. Overall, this research sheds light on the dynamic environment at the center of our galaxy.