Neutron stars may have strange quark cores: Study
Scientists think the densest neutron stars could have "deconfined quark matter" at their centers, a state where particles break free from their usual bonds.
By blending space observations with particle physics, researchers found that while average neutron stars look normal, the heaviest ones show signs of this exotic core.
Quark cores could reshape our understanding of neutron star collisions
If true, these huge quark cores, possibly making up a significant portion of the star's innermost mass, could change how we understand neutron star collisions and what happens when massive objects crash together in space.
Neutron stars as cosmic labs
The study also set the first real-world limit on how strongly these free-floating quarks can pair up inside stars.
This opens up fresh ways to use neutron stars as cosmic labs for exploring some of the universe's weirdest quantum matter.