"Unveiling the Potential of Plasma Blades: Splitting Stars with Unprecedented Power"

New research suggests that ultrapowerful plasma blades, shaped by strong magnetic fields, could slice stars in half, potentially explaining some of the brightest explosions in the universe known as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). These "relativistic blades" are formed by intense bursts of radiation along the equator of magnetars, which are ultracompact objects with strong magnetic fields. The blades move outward through the star at nearly the speed of light, carrying more energy than a supernova explosion. The study authors plan to further investigate the evolution of these blades and their role in stellar deaths.