Recoiling black holes could move at nearly one-tenth the speed of light
The cosmic sinkholes gain speed from being kicked by gravitational waves
![An illustration of the convergence of two black holes and yellow gravitational waves rippling through space.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/081723_no_black-hole_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
The convergence of two black holes will send gravitational waves rippling through space (illustrated). If moving predominately in a single direction, those waves can shoot the newly unified black hole into space at high speed.
C. Henze/NASA