Abstract: Radio jets/lobes associated with quasars are among the most energetic, long-lived objects in the universe. Powered by actively feeding supermassive black holes (SMBHs), radio quasar jets may grow to scales of 100’s of kpc or more over millions of years, extending far beyond the stellar light of their host galaxies. These large-scale jets play a major role in the regulation of galaxy and SMBH growth by preventing hot halos of gas around galaxies from cooling and forming new stars. However, the role of energetic feedback driven by younger, small-scale (< 1 kpc) jets that are still confined within their host galaxies remains unknown. State-of-the-art simulations suggest that small-scale jets may also influence their environments, but systematic observational studies are needed to test this idea. Identifying jets in the early stages of their evolution by directly resolving their morphologies remains unfeasible, particularly at high redshift. An alternative approach is to identify them by comparing data taken years to decades apart. In this talk, I will present a sample of candidate newborn quasar jets that were recently discovered in the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) to have brightened dramatically in the past 10–20 years. I will new discuss implications for our understanding of radio AGN and quasars, their connection to galaxy evolution, and exciting opportunities for further advancements with new and forthcoming radio telescopes/surveys of the dynamic radio sky.
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