Australian scientists from the University of Sydney and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have detected what is likely a neutron star spinning slower than any other ever measured. No other radio-emitting neutron star, out of the more than 3,000 discovered so far, has been discovered rotating so slowly. The results are published in Nature Astronomy. Lead author Dr. … Read more
The origin and evolution of the universe have fascinated humanity for millennia. Modern scientific theories, such as the Big Bang theory, provide a framework for understanding these cosmic processes. The universe began as an unimaginably dense and hot singularity around 13.8 billion years ago, expanding rapidly and cooling over time. Through cosmic inflation, galaxies, stars, … Read more
Pulsars are cosmic lighthouses, beacons of intense radiation and magnetic fields that emit beams of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation as they rotate rapidly. These exotic objects, often referred to as neutron stars, are the remnants of massive stars that have undergone supernova explosions. Pulsars were first discovered in 1967 by astrophysicist Jocelyn … Read more
Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as merging black holes or neutron stars. Predicted by Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity in 1915, these waves were detected for the first time in 2015, marking a revolutionary breakthrough in astrophysics and opening a new window … Read more
Supernovae are some of the most powerful and cataclysmic events in the universe, representing the explosive deaths of massive stars and the birth of new cosmic phenomena. These cosmic explosions release vast amounts of energy and material into space, shaping the evolution of galaxies, enriching the interstellar medium with heavy elements, and producing some of … Read more
Exoplanets, or extrasolar planets, are celestial bodies that orbit stars outside our solar system. These distant worlds have captivated the imagination of scientists and the public alike, offering tantalizing glimpses into the diversity of planetary systems beyond our own. The study of exoplanets has revealed a wealth of wonders, from rocky worlds resembling Earth to … Read more
Stars are born and die in a continuous cycle, playing a fundamental role in the structure, dynamics, and evolution of the universe. The processes of star formation and stellar death are intricate and fascinating, involving a complex interplay of physical phenomena that span millions to billions of years. Understanding the birth and death of stars … Read more
Neutron star mergers are a treasure trove for new physics signals, with implications for determining the true nature of dark matter, according to research from Washington University in St. Louis. On Aug. 17, 2017, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in the United States and Virgo, a detector in Italy, detected gravitational waves from the … Read more
Scientists are getting a more detailed look than ever before at the electrons they use in precision experiments. Nuclear physicists with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility have shattered a nearly 30-year-old record for the measurement of parallel spin within an electron beam—or electron beam polarimetry, for short. The achievement sets … Read more
A multinational collaboration of astronomers and astrophysicists recently unveiled groundbreaking evidence surrounding the luminous gamma-ray burst GRB 230307A, which graced the cosmos with its brilliance last year. Contrary to earlier assumptions attributing such bursts to the demise of massive stars, the team’s findings, published in the esteemed journal Nature, indicate that this particular spectacle emanated … Read more
A new analysis by the STAR collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), a particle collider at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, provides the first direct evidence of the imprint left by what may be the universe’s most powerful magnetic fields on “deconfined” nuclear matter. The evidence comes from measuring … Read more
The recent findings from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled a new chapter in the cosmic saga surrounding Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), shedding light on the elusive presence of a neutron star at the heart of this stellar explosion. Situated 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, SN 1987A holds a special … Read more
Nuclear power is considered one of the ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but how to deal with nuclear waste products is among the issues surrounding it. Radioactive waste products can be turned into more stable elements, but this process is not yet viable at scale. New research led by physicists from the University … Read more
Neutron stars in the universe, ultracold atomic gases in the laboratory, and the quark–gluon plasma created in collisions of atomic nuclei at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC): they may seem totally unrelated but, surprisingly enough, they have something in common. They are all a fluid-like state of matter made up of strongly interacting particles. Insights … Read more
At the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University, an international research team has achieved a significant milestone by creating five new isotopes, effectively bringing celestial phenomena closer to Earth. Reported in Physical Review Letters, these isotopes—thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187, and lutetium-190—mark the inaugural batch of new isotopes synthesized at FRIB, a … Read more
Stars are celestial bodies that emit light and heat, providing the energy that sustains life and drives the processes occurring throughout the universe. At the heart of a star lies a complex and fascinating process known as nuclear fusion, which powers the star and produces the radiant energy that we observe from Earth. Understanding how … Read more
Redshift, a fundamental concept in astronomy and cosmology, serves as a cornerstone for understanding the universe’s vastness, expansion, and evolution. It represents a phenomenon where the light emitted by celestial objects, such as galaxies, stars, and quasars, is shifted towards longer wavelengths as they move away from an observer. This phenomenon, discovered over a century … Read more
A pulsar is a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation out of its magnetic poles. These beams of radiation are observed as periodic pulses when they intersect the Earth, giving rise to the term “pulsar.” Neutron stars are the remnants of massive stars that have undergone supernova explosions, leaving behind … Read more
In a remarkable celestial discovery, astronomers utilizing the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) have identified a millisecond pulsar within the globular cluster GLIMPSE-C01, marking a significant milestone as the first pulsar ever detected in this particular cluster. The breakthrough emerged as part of the VLA Low-band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment (VLITE), and the … Read more
Neutron-star cores stand as cosmic vaults harboring matter at densities unmatched in our present universe—up to two solar masses squeezed into a mere 25 km diameter. Picture these astrophysical marvels as colossal atomic nuclei; gravity wields its force, compressing their cores to densities surpassing individual protons and neutrons by magnitudes. These extreme densities spark intrigue … Read more