The fastest-growing black hole known to humans is astonishingly large, and apparently very, very hangry, according to new research from an international team of astronomers. "The black hole's mass is also about 8,000 times bigger than the black hole in the center of the Milky Way," Christopher Onken of the Australian National University said in a release.

"If the Milky Way's black hole wanted to grow that fat, it would have to swallow two-thirds of all the stars in our galaxy," Onken adds. .

Onken and his team discovered the black hole in 2018 and were astonished by its fast growth rate.

How a black hole could grow so massive at such an early period in the history of the universe is one of the more intriguing mysteries the team plans to pursue.