Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists have finally solved the mysterious origins of the ‘BOAT’, possibly the largest cosmic explosion since the Big Bang. The brightest gamma-ray burst of all time (hence the abbreviation The Brightest Of All Time), also called the BOOT, appears to have been launched by a supernova explosion that … Read more
Researchers have synthesized five new isotopes that could help bring the stars to Earth – and bring scientists one step closer to understanding how collisions between ultra-dense, dead stars can create heavy elements like gold and silver. The isotopes are Thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187 and lutetium-190; this is the first time they have ever been … Read more
Scientists have analyzed an unusually long explosion of high-energy radiation known as a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and determined that it came from the collision of two ultra-dense neutron stars. More importantly, this result helped the team observe a flash of light arising from the same event, confirming that these mergers are the locations that create … Read more
Scientists have discovered the first indications that nuclear fission is taking place between stars. The discovery supports the idea that when neutron stars collide, they create ‘superheavy’ elements – heavier than the heaviest elements on the periodic table – which are then broken down via nuclear fission to birth elements such as the gold in … Read more