China’s Einstein Probe Unveils New Class of Cosmic Explosions, Igniting Fresh Insights into Stellar Death
BEIJING, China — A pioneering discovery by China’s Einstein Probe (EP) satellite has unveiled a previously unknown form of cosmic explosion, revealing faint and rapid X-ray flashes that emerge during the collapse of massive stars. This finding, detailed in the journal Nature Astronomy, poses significant challenges to current theories surrounding stellar deaths and introduces a previously hidden category of stellar phenomena. The satellite identified a unique X-ray flare, designated EP240414a, which lasted for 150 seconds …