Neutron Stars May Contain Matter That 'Does Not Exist Anywhere Else'

Published Jun 21, 2024 at 2:11 PM EDT

By Robyn White
Nature Reporter

Some neutron stars may contain a "special type of matter," according to a new NASA study.

These observations from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory indicate that the interiors of neutron stars might contain a unique form of ultradense matter not found elsewhere in the cosmos.

Neutron stars are the remnants left after massive stars collapse in supernova explosions. They are extremely dense; a teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh about a trillion pounds. For years, scientists have sought to understand these objects' internal conditions, including pressures and temperatures, collectively known as the neutron star's "equation of state."

Recent data from Chandra and ESA's XMM-Newton Observatory examining a sample of 70 young neutron stars showed how their surfaces cool over time, offering valuable information about the matter inside.

"Three of these neutron stars are significantly cooler than others of similar age. This was a major hint that something unusual might be occurring inside these stars that we need to understand," Alessio Marino of the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE) in Barcelona Spain, a co-author of the paper in the journal Nature Astronomy, said in a statement.

More:
https://www.newsweek.com/neutron-stars-contain-special-type-matter-1915833