Paul has a lot of new research underway. Currently, he's working on 3 main projects. For two of them he's using RXTE to study how rapidly the X-ray output from active galaxies varies; the amount of X-ray light we see from an active galaxy can change in a matter of seconds, which is truly amazing for something that size.

The third project Paul's working on involves examining ASCA images of previously unknown energetic X-ray objects. "The idea behind the first two projects is to try and work out why and how X-rays are given off from near black holes in the middle of galaxies," Paul says. The idea behind the third project is, "to look for 'hidden' black holes in galaxies shrouded in dust and gas. The X-rays can penetrate through these and reveal the black hole swallowing up matter" at the center of these galaxies.