Physics
What secrets do neutron stars hold about the universe?
Quick fact
Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of massive stars after they explode as supernovae.
Why this is interesting
A teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh billions of tonnes on Earth.
Read the full explanation
Understanding What secrets do neutron stars hold about the universe?
When a massive star runs out of fuel, gravity causes its core to collapse. The pressure becomes so extreme that protons and electrons combine to form tightly packed neutrons.
A deeper explanation
Neutron stars are among the most extreme objects in the universe. They can have more mass than the Sun compressed into a sphere only around 20 kilometres wide. Some neutron stars rotate rapidly and produce beams of radiation, creating objects known as pulsars.