Scientists have seen for the first time evidence that "our galaxy is teeming with black holes," the AP reports, estimating there could be more than 10,000 of them in the Milky Way.
The big picture, literally: The dozens of black holes confirmed by astronomers are binary, per the AP, which occurs when "a black hole has partnered with another star and together they emit large amount of X-rays." Researchers in the study estimate that "there must be 300 to 500 binary black hole systems" meaning — because binary systems make up only 5% of all black holes — that means there are likely thousands more in our galaxy.
The lack of proper scientific data collection in Puerto Rico during and after Hurricane Maria hit the island last September has resulted in the death toll being severely underreported — the real number is closer to 1,085 than the government's estimate of 64 — essentially limiting necessary financial and other aid resources, according to research published in Health Affairs Monday.
Why it matters:
"[T]he official death toll undercounted deaths attributable to Hurricane Maria by a factor of 15 or higher. This is important because something failed, somebody failed to our people, and steps need to be taken to ensure that this does not happens again."
— Alexis Raúl Santos, Penn State University demographer and article author, tells Axios
