Discovery provides insights into galaxy mergers in the early universe Astronomers have discovered two pairs of quasars in the distant universe. April 26, 2021 Astronomers have found two close pairs of quasars in the distant universe. The quasars are closer together than any pair of quasars found so far away, providing strong evidence for the existence of supermassive black hole pairs as well as insights into galaxy mergers in the early universe. The results are published in Quasars are the intensely bright cores of distant galaxies, powered by the feeding frenzies of supermassive black holes. These energetic objects profoundly affect galaxy formation and evolution, making observations of quasar pairs in the early universe a unique way for astronomers to investigate the evolution of merging galaxies. Quasar pairs also provide a natural laboratory in which to study the processes leading to the formation of binary supermassive black holes.