Gravitational Waves Offer New Way to Probe Neutron Star Interiors, Revealing Secrets of Dense Matter

Scientists have discovered a new method to explore neutron star interiors using gravitational waves. * Neutron stars, formed from collapsed massive stars, pack twice the sun's mass into a 20km diameter. * Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt propose analyzing gravitational waves emitted after neutron star collisions. * The "long ringdown" phase of these waves reveals information about the "equation of state" of nuclear matter. * Computer simulations show the signal converges on a single frequency, like a cosmic tuning fork. * Analysis of this signal can reduce uncertainties about matter at extreme densities within neutron stars. * Next-generation detectors like LISA aim to detect these signals, potentially unlocking new insights into neutron star composition.