Regina Barber

Massive stars more than 20 times bigger than our sun eventually collapse into black holes. Infinitely small points of immense mass that we can't directly see. Then there are smaller stars, still bigger than our sun, that don't fully collapse into black holes.

Massive stars more than 20 times bigger than our sun eventually collapse into black holes. Infinitely small points of immense mass that we can't directly see. Then there are smaller stars, still bigger than our sun, that don't fully collapse into black holes.

Massive stars more than 20 times bigger than our sun eventually collapse into black holes. Infinitely small points of immense mass that we can't directly see. Then there are smaller stars, still bigger than our sun, that don't fully collapse into black holes.

Those neutrons? They were created when the pressure from the explosion compressed the protons and electrons so tightly together, they combined.

Those neutrons? They were created when the pressure from the explosion compressed the protons and electrons so tightly together, they combined.

Those neutrons? They were created when the pressure from the explosion compressed the protons and electrons so tightly together, they combined.

A chunk of a neutron star the size of just a sugar cube would weigh a billion tons on Earth. Or no big deal about the weight of a mountain. And because of that compression, these stars have much stronger magnetic fields.

A chunk of a neutron star the size of just a sugar cube would weigh a billion tons on Earth. Or no big deal about the weight of a mountain. And because of that compression, these stars have much stronger magnetic fields.

A chunk of a neutron star the size of just a sugar cube would weigh a billion tons on Earth. Or no big deal about the weight of a mountain. And because of that compression, these stars have much stronger magnetic fields.

These radio waves shoot out of the magnetic poles of some of these neutron stars as they spin. And on Earth, you'll only detect the radio waves if they happen to sweep across our planet, like the beam of a lighthouse.

These radio waves shoot out of the magnetic poles of some of these neutron stars as they spin. And on Earth, you'll only detect the radio waves if they happen to sweep across our planet, like the beam of a lighthouse.

These radio waves shoot out of the magnetic poles of some of these neutron stars as they spin. And on Earth, you'll only detect the radio waves if they happen to sweep across our planet, like the beam of a lighthouse.

It looks like a pulse. That's why these particular stars are called pulsars.

It looks like a pulse. That's why these particular stars are called pulsars.

It looks like a pulse. That's why these particular stars are called pulsars.

Today on the show, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell's story, how her astronomical discovery revolutionized an entire field of science. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the daily science podcast from NPR.

Today on the show, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell's story, how her astronomical discovery revolutionized an entire field of science. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the daily science podcast from NPR.

Today on the show, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell's story, how her astronomical discovery revolutionized an entire field of science. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the daily science podcast from NPR.

Jocelyn was just a teenager when astronomy took root.

Jocelyn was just a teenager when astronomy took root.