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Dead stars aren’t so dead after all: The hidden force inflating white dwarfs

Some white dwarfs in rapid binary orbits are far hotter and larger than theory predicts. Researchers found that powerful tidal forces between them generate enough heat to inflate their sizes and change their orbital behavior. This leads the stars to interact much sooner than expected, potentially triggering dramatic cosmic events. The new model may offer clues about the origins of type Ia supernovae.

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