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The strongest material in the universe has been discovered: nuclear pulps from neutron stars. The material is so intense that it could never exist on Earth. If a small amount were carried here, it would explode like a nuclear bomb. Instead, they can be found deep within the crust of the smallest and densest stars, scientists have discovered through computer simulations.
Matthew Caplan, a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University, and his colleagues saw their findings on nuclear pulps accepted for publication in the journal. Letters of physical examination.
Neutron stars form when the nucleus of a massive star collapses under the weight of its own gravity. What stands out is a star that has about twice the mass of the Sun crammed into a sphere 20 km wide. According to NASA, a piece of neutron star the size of a piece of sugar would weigh about the same as that of Mount Everest.
Due to extreme gravity, the outer layers of neutron stars freeze solidly to form a crust that surrounds a liquid core. Below the crust, protons and neutrons compete and eventually form long cylindrical shapes or flat planes. These are known as "spaghetti" and "lasagna" – or nuclear pasta.
Scientists know that nuclear pulps come from observations of neutron stars – the pressure due to gravity is too high to form anything other than a solid crust.
Caplan performed computer simulations where he stretched and squeezed nuclear pasta to see how it broke. "These simulations have made it possible to calculate the resistance of nuclear pulps," he said. Newsweek. "The materials contained in the neutron star crusts can not exist on Earth, they only form when the material undergoes the immense pressure that can be found on a neutron star. That's why we use computer simulations to study them.
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"But if a teaspoon of nuclear pasta magically teleported into the palm of your hand, you would die instantly because without the pressure of the star, it would explode like a nuclear bomb. In other words, despite its strength, nobody will build anything.
According to phys.org, nuclear pulps would be about 10 billion times more resistant than steel.
Understanding the strength of nuclear pulps will help astronomers study neutron stars to better understand their physical properties, allowing them to test theories and models. This also opens up the possibility of observing gravitational waves.
At present, only gravitational waves from cataclysmic events have been observed – two black holes merging, for example. But isolated neutron stars with a "mountain" could also produce gravitational waves, Caplan said. "Knowing the strength of the neutron star crust is like knowing the force of the rocks on the earth; This tells you how much earthquakes can be and how high the mountains can reach, "said Caplan. "On a neutron star, these" starquakes "or break events can release light, while the" neutron star mountains "can produce gravitational waves, two things that astronomers would like to observe.
The researchers plan to continue studying neutron stars and their extremely resistant crusts. "This work was only about lasagna, but pasta comes in many forms. I may be trying spaghetti, "said Caplan.
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