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Astronomers Explode Virtual Supernova

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the safest-detonation-yet dept.

DynaSoar writes "Scientists at the University of Chicago's Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes have created a simulation of a white dwarf exploding into a type 1a supernova. Using 700 processors and 58,000 hours, they produced a three second movie showing the initial burst that is thought to be the source of much of the iron in the universe. Understanding these supernovas is also important to testing current cosmological theories regarding dark matter and dark energy, as their brightness is used as a measurement of distance, and discrepancies found in the brightness of very distant supernovas consistently seem to indicate a change in the speed of expansion of the universe over time."

5 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Poll Troll Toll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    What's better....

    Exploding a supernova
    Exploding in a mare

  2. How to spell relief? BOOM! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    "Astronomers Explode Virtual Supernova"

    Pfft! That's nothing. I exploded a virtual condom.

  3. Mining Companies by edgr · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Those greedy mining companies will use any excuse to try to find more iron to dig up to make more profit for their greedy shareholders.

  4. Uranus joke by stratjakt · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    hee hee

    --
    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  5. Fi8sT post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    marketing surveys beyond th3 scope of the chhosing what provides the