Nuclear astrophysics is a research area at the interface of nuclear physics and astrophysics that investigates how nuclear processes govern the origin, evolution, and observable properties of cosmic objects and matter. It focuses on nuclear reaction rates, decay schemes, and equation-of-state properties under astrophysical conditions, and applies them to models of stellar structure, nucleosynthesis, supernovae, compact objects, and the early universe. The field integrates laboratory measurements, theoretical nuclear structure and reaction calculations, and astronomical observations to constrain reaction networks and to interpret elemental and isotopic abundances, energy generation, and neutrino and gravitational-wave signals in astrophysical environments.
An international team led by Monash University has uncovered evidence of a rare form of exploding star, helping to shed light on one of the most cataclysmic events in the universe. At the end of their lives, most massive ...
Astronomy
Apr 1, 2026
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169
A Mississippi State physicist has produced a direct laboratory measurement of a key nuclear reaction believed to occur during explosive bursts on neutron stars. These bursts forge heavier elements—the building blocks of planets ...
Astronomy
Mar 31, 2026
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25
In the air people breathe, the water on Earth, the stars in the sky and more, atoms are the building blocks that make up the universe. Understanding the structure of the atomic nucleus is crucial for research with implications ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 31, 2026
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71
Thermonuclear reaction rates power the models that explain how stars live, explode and create the elements. A new study co-authored by NC State faculty member Richard Longland provides a comprehensive, statistically grounded ...
Astronomy
Mar 16, 2026
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22
A research team is using astrophysical explosions to understand the mysterious forces at work in some of the smallest building blocks in nature: atomic nuclei. In new research published in Nature Communications, the team ...
Astronomy
Mar 12, 2026
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46
A novel apparatus at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has made extremely precise measurements of unstable ruthenium nuclei. The measurements are a significant milestone in nuclear physics ...
General Physics
Jan 30, 2026
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84
In our galaxy, a supernova explodes about once or twice each century. But historical astronomical records show that the last Milky Way core-collapse supernova seen by humans was about 1,000 years ago. That means we've missed ...
Astronomy
Jan 28, 2026
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47
Researchers have reported new experimental results addressing the origin of rare proton-rich isotopes heavier than iron, called p-nuclei. Led by Artemis Tsantiri, then-graduate student at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams ...
General Physics
Jan 22, 2026
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59
Describing matter under extreme conditions, such as those found inside neutron stars, remains an unsolved problem. The density of such matter is equivalent to compressing around 100,000 Eiffel Towers into a single cubic centimeter. ...
General Physics
Dec 17, 2025
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66
Neutrinos are one of the most mysterious particles in the universe, often called "ghost particles" because they rarely interact with anything else. Trillions stream through our bodies every second, yet leave no trace. They ...
General Physics
Dec 10, 2025
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