The Precious Metal Supernova Mystery
Researchers have discovered the cause of the brightest burst of light ever recorded. But in doing so they have run up against two bigger mysteries.
Researchers have discovered the cause of the brightest burst of light ever recorded.
But in doing so they have run up against two bigger mysteries, including one that casts doubt on where our heavy elements - such as gold - come from.
The researchers say the burst of light, spotted in 2022, is now known to have had an exploding star at its heart.
But that explosion, by itself, would not have been sufficient to have shone so brightly.
So just how big was this burst of light - and what is the significance of the new findings? The 麻豆社's science correspondent, Pallab Ghosh, explains for this episode of 5 Questions On.
Image Credit: AARON M. GELLER
