Nuclear Pasta (IMAGE)

McGill University

Nuclear Pasta

Caption

Deep in the crusts of neutron stars, where matter is a trillion times denser than anything on earth, nuclear matter undergoes a phase transition. At depths of approximately one kilometer, directly above the neutron star core, nuclei start to touch. They rearrange and form exotic shapes, such as planar "lasagna" and cylindrical "spaghetti," which have been whimsically named "nuclear pasta."

Credit

Matthew Caplan

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