Astronomy
The Role of Neutrinos in Core-Collapse Supernovae
Quick fact
In 1987, neutrino detectors around the world recorded a 10-second burst of neutrinos from Supernova 1987A, confirming that neutrinos carry away nearly all of the system's gravitational energy. That same energy is what re-energizes the dying star's shockwave, allowing it to blow the outer layers into space.
Why this is interesting
An enormous star collapses in seconds, yet the explosion that follows is powered not by fire or shock waves but by the smallest particles in the cosmos. What enables this cosmic rebirth?