Astronomers have discovered a billion light-year–long region devoid of matter, the biggest hole in the cosmos they’ve yet observed.

EMPTY. Circled area in this radio map indicates a billion light-year–long region devoid of galaxies. Rudnick, et al., NRAO, AUI, NSF, NASA

A void this large hadn’t been predicted by the leading model of cosmic evolution, says Lawrence Rudnick of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.