Space Nuts

Prepare for a stellar foray into the frontiers of astrophysics with your seasoned spacefarers, Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson, in this riveting episode of Space Nuts. Today, we're delving into the realm of nuclear alchemy, where scientists have replicated the cosmic crucible of colliding neutron stars right here on Earth. Andrew and Fred unpack the groundbreaking synthesis of new isotopes, previously the exclusive handiwork of the universe's most cataclysmic events. Discover how a platinum beam and a carbon target in the lab have opened a new window into the cosmic generation of elements like gold and silver, and what this means for our understanding of matter's deepest secrets.Then, brace for a journey to the edges of space-time, as we shed light on the discovery of the fastest-growing and brightest quasar ever observed. This celestial behemoth, with a black hole 17 billion times the mass of our Sun, is not only a record-breaker but a window into the universe's youthful past, some 12 billion years