Eyewitness to a Cosmic Car Wreck

October 16, 2017 • by Marc Airhart

What is the sound of two neutron stars colliding over 1 billion light years away?

Illustration of large explosion in space

Astronomers have long been able to watch the universe's blockbuster special effects unfold in dazzling 3D Technicolor. But until now, it's been like watching a silent movie. Today that all changes. Scientists announced this morning that they have for the first time ever detected both light and gravitational waves from a massive explosion in space caused by the collision of two super-dense neutron stars. On today's show, we talk to astrophysicist Pawan Kumar about what this breakthrough means for his field.

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