... For us to see them from such great distances, quasars must be producing enormous energy -- they are about 1000 times brighter than an average galaxy! ... One of their choices for the energy source of quasars was a black hole. ... On the one hand, it may seem difficult to think that mere friction between bits of matter could account for the energy of a quasar, but, on the other hand, gravity is unimaginably strong near a black hole. ... How does matter actually rush towards the black hole? ...