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Space

Signals from exotic new stars could hide in gravitational wave data

A computer simulation suggests that some collisions between exotic, hypothetical stars would make space-time ripple with detectable waves

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

3 October 2024

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

We can detect signals from black holes merging – but could we also pick up traces of more exotic collisions?

VICTOR DE SCHWANBERG / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Gravitational wave signals that seem to emanate from black hole collisions may actually come from the clashes of odd, exotic stars – which have been theorised but may or may not exist. If they do, then physicists will have to rethink their standard theories of gravity and particles.

For almost 60 years, researchers have been thinking up cosmic objects that may be possible if there is more to gravity than is suggested by Albert Einstein’s…

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