Related: The 12 strangest objects in the universe

The most plausible explanation for the survival of G2 is that it’s more than just an ordinary gas cloud. Its hidden superpower? A star or two could be tucked inside the cloud, and the gravity of that star kept the whole structure intact during its passage near the black hole.

But there’s another, more radical explanation: Perhaps, the supermassive black hole isn’t really a black hole. Perhaps, it’s a fuzzy clump of dark matter.