Reaching for the (Invisible) Stars

Uncovering the Missing Precursors of Hydrogen-Poor Supernovae. Visualization of a binary star experiencing mass transfer. Navid Marvi, courtesy of the Carnegie Institution for Science Supernovae-stellar explosions as bright as an entire galaxy-have fascinated us since time immemorial. Yet, there are more hydrogen-poor supernovae than astrophysicists can explain. Now, a new Assistant Professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has played a pivotal role in identifying the missing precursor star population. The results go back to a conversation the involved professors had many years ago as junior scientists. Some stars do not simply die down, but explode in a stellar blast that could outshine entire galaxies.